NJ paid family leave bill passes Senate

Posted on March 4, 2008 by grim

From the Asbury Park Press:

Family leave narrowly passes Senate

The full Senate narrowly approved a proposal that would give workers a paid family leave program to care for a newborn, a newly adopted child or an ill family member, even though a majority of senators said they had concerns with it.

Largely along party lines, the Senate voted 22-16 — closer than might have been expected, given that it has been pushed by high-ranking Democrats such as Gov. Jon S. Corzine and Senate Majority Leader Stephen Sweeney, D-Gloucester.

If the debate — which touched on the struggling economy, equity to the poor and New Jersey’s perceived anti-business climate — accurately depicted the senators’ vote, the measure likely would have failed.

But advocates who argued with their hearts that the leave allows workers who may not get days off to spend time with a new or ill loved one won over those who argued with numbers that New Jersey’s struggling economy and business sector cannot afford a burden that other states don’t have.

“We have a heart for it, we don’t have the wallet for it,” Sen. Kevin O’Toole, R-Essex, said.
…
While critics said the measure would shutter businesses when a vital employee leaves, or keep them from opening up in New Jersey, proponents said similar dire circumstances were predicted from restaurants when indoor smoking was banned, bars when the blood alcohol limit was raised or business in general when the minimum wage was raised.

Business can find a way to accommodate the program, they argued.

“If you don’t provide backup to your key employees, one day that key employee is going to get run over by a bus, and you’re out of luck,” Sen. Raymond Lesniak, D-Union, said.
…
“Despite the best of intentions, this really is something that is going to tremendously harm the economy in the state,” said Philip Kirschner, president of the New Jersey Business and Industry Association, preparing to continue to the fight against the program in the Assembly.
…
“It was a good vote for working families,” said Ev Liebman, of Citizen Action.

This entry was posted in Economics, New Jersey Real Estate, Politics. Bookmark the permalink.

110 Responses to NJ paid family leave bill passes Senate

  1. grim says:
    March 4, 2008 at 6:10 am

    From the NY Times:

    New Jersey Senate Votes for Leave to Care for Kin

    After an unusually emotional debate bursting with political indignation and personal anguish, the State Senate narrowly approved legislation Monday that would make New Jersey the third state in the nation to give employees the right to take paid leave to care for a newborn or a sick relative.

    The measure would be financed by employee payroll deductions that would cost every worker in New Jersey a maximum of 64 cents a week, or $33 a year. Those taking the leave would be eligible for two-thirds of their salary, up to a maximum of $524 a week, for six weeks. The benefit falls short of the $917 a week that California offers but is more than double what Washington State will offer starting next year.

    The bill now goes to the Assembly, which is expected to approve it on March 13. Gov. Jon S. Corzine, who has said he will sign the measure, said Monday that it was “an important step in the right direction for working families in New Jersey.” If the bill becomes law, it will take effect on Jan. 1, 2009.

    The fate of the measure, which hung in the balance during the 75-minute debate as 13 of the 80 senators took the floor, never seemed more in doubt than when Paul A. Sarlo, a Democrat from Bergen County, declared, “The timing is just wrong.”

    But when the voting began, Mr. Sarlo and another Democrat who had criticized the timing of the bill, Senator Nia H. Gill from Essex County, joined their colleagues as well as the one Republican who supported the measure, Senator Bill Baroni from Mercer County, in approving it 22 to 16.

  2. bairen says:
    March 4, 2008 at 6:54 am

    Cool. Now I have an incentive to have more kids.

    You know some dumb people will view this as a 6 week paid vacation and try to have more kids.

    When Australia started giving out a 3k baby bonus there was a huge surge in teenagers having kids to get their 3k and go get some bling bling. 3k in OZ doesn’t cover diapers, formula, and food for the first year. But most people don’t think of long term consequences of their actions.

  3. RentininNJ says:
    March 4, 2008 at 8:13 am

    I’ll bet we see a sharp increase in “sick relatives” requiring care between Memorial Day and Labor Day

  4. Rob says:
    March 4, 2008 at 8:42 am

    What’s the old saying about what to do when you find yourself in a hole? Instead the NJ government calls for air drills and dynamite.

  5. PGC says:
    March 4, 2008 at 9:34 am

    Are the sick relatives on the NJ pension plan off sick with a bad back?

  6. spam spam bacon spam says:
    March 4, 2008 at 10:38 am

    @#&*?!?#$%?!&^#$%.

    That’s all I have to say about this.

  7. Vin says:
    March 4, 2008 at 12:26 pm

    Now is the time to institute analysis procedures to see who is abusing the system. Shouldn’t be difficult, but then it’s Trenton.

  8. Nom Deplume says:
    March 4, 2008 at 4:52 pm

    Am I an idiot for looking to purchase a home in this state? Notwithstanding taxes today, NJ is leveraged up to its eyeballs, state and muni, and that is not even considering unfunded liabilities.

    Maybe I am better off renting indefinitely.

  9. Nom Deplume says:
    March 4, 2008 at 4:55 pm

    Secretly, the eastern Pennsylvania chambers of commerce and realtor groups are exchanging another round of high-fives and lifting their glasses in a toast to Trenton.

  10. Jonnyboy says:
    March 4, 2008 at 11:03 pm

    As a new resident of NJ I can’t believe have unbelievably gutless the local government is!

    Might as well hang a sign saying “business not welcome”.

    We have a bundle of joy on the way and I still would say to heck with this law!

  11. LesAnn says:
    March 6, 2008 at 4:33 pm

    YIPPEEE… now my little boy can have a sibling and food! This is just what my family needs. NJ is on track with other countries now that offer similar benefits. For anyone opposed- I can’t wait till your family expands and you find this VERY helpful. Im not sure who this will hurt the financial status, now these families will have some cash to spend in your place of business.

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