President Announces Paid-Leave Proposals

Scott Fanning was quoted in SHRM on January 15, 2015. The article “President Announces Paid-Leave Proposals” discussed Obama's paid-leave proposal, which would allow working Americans to earn up to seven days per year of paid sick time.

Scott was quoted on his take of the Healthy Families Act that stalled in the last Congress.

The law does allow employers to ask for documentation if there are three sick days in a row, remarked Scott. He doubted the Healthy Families Act would pass but pointed out that the president has said he will encourage states and municipalities to pass similar legislation.

A White House release noted that paid sick leave laws have passed in Eugene, Ore.; Newark, N.J.; New York City; Oakland, Calif.; Portland, Ore.; San Diego; and Seattle. San Francisco and Washington, D.C., also have sick-leave laws, Parker noted. Many other cities in New Jersey also have passed sick-leave laws, including East Orange, Irvington, Jersey City, Montclair, Passaic, Paterson and Trenton, according to the National Partnership for Women & Families. California, Connecticut and Massachusetts all have paid sick leave laws as well, Scott said.

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) has said that employees will pay back the advanced sick leave when they earn additional leave, Scott noted. He predicted there would be some waste, though, as OPM would be unlikely to go after employees who quit to recoup the advanced sick leave.

To read the full article, please visit SHRM.