Sen. Dodd Will Propose Paid Leave for Workers
LEAVE
The New London Day
Renée Dudley
Boston University Washington News Service
01 February 2007
WASHINGTON, Feb. 1 —Employers and the federal government would pay workers for up to six weeks of family and medical leave if the proposal that Sen. Chris Dodd (D-Conn.) announced Thursday becomes law.
Dodd said the cost of paid leave would be shared by the employers, employees and the government, but he did not provide a specific breakdown.
The 1993 Family and Medical Leave Act, which Dodd originally sponsored, allows employees to take up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave with a guarantee of returning to their original job.
He said he had no plans to cut back the existing law, but he offered no specifics on the length of paid leave allowed under the new proposal except to note that most employees who take family or medical leave need only six weeks.
Dodd said that though the current law has been successful, its benefits have not been extended to the entire workforce.
“The evidence in favor of [the existing law] is overwhelming in terms of worker productivity, retention and loyalty,” Dodd said. “No one benefits when children go to school sick because a parent can’t stay home to care for them.”
But Dodd added that families without sufficient economic resources cannot take advantage of the law. This, he said, is the reason he is now calling for paid leave to aid families who cannot otherwise afford to take time off.
Tony Sheridan, president of the Chamber of Commerce of Eastern Connecticut, applauded Dodd’s proposal, although he said there will probably be an outcry from the business community.
“There is a great need to have a package of benefits that will encourage and support those in the workforce,” he said. “People are working harder than ever, and there is a need to be concerned about our children. The business community has families too.”
Sheridan said the proposal is a good start. “All great decisions begin with conversation,” he said.
Representatives of locally based companies Electric Boat, Foxwoods Resort Casino and Pfizer said they would not comment on the proposal until Dodd presents more specifics. The bill has not yet been drafted, but Dodd said details would be announced in the next few weeks.
Dodd, who has proposed similar legislation in previous congresses, said Sen. Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) will co-sponsor the bill.
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