NY bill mandates 3 months paid bereavement leave, even when grandparents die
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
New York lawmakers have approved a bill that would give employees in the Empire State three months paid bereavement leave to mourn the loss of a loved one – in turn, spurring concerns among business owners that the policy would create a staffing crisis.
The expansive bill would cover the death of a spouse, domestic partner, child, parent, in-law, grandparent or grandchild. It was passed by the state Senate and Assembly at the end of the legislative session in June and now awaits the signature of Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo.
The state’s current Paid Family Leave law gives employees paid time off to bond with a new child or care for a sick relative. But the new legislation significantly expands leave policies, allowing grieving employees to collect 50 to 67 percent of the average weekly wage for up to 12 weeks.
Business owners and groups representing their interests, though, contend that the change would put an unnecessary strain on their companies.
“For a small business, I don’t know how anybody could survive with anything like that,” Tom Grech, president of the Queens Chamber of Commerce, told the New York Post . “At the end of the day, New York City and New York state are among the most expensive places to do business in the country. This just puts another burden on small businesses.”
The Business Council of New York State also opposes the paid bereavement.
“Who this really affects are the small employers who are being hit with another burden that’s difficult to manage,” group spokesman Zach Hutchins told the newspaper.
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Three months is too long. I could see maybe two weeks.
What people are failing to emphasize is that the pay will only be half. Most people with a job won't be happy with half pay for three months. They will go back to work to get full pay.
I expect this provision will hardly ever be used.
I agree.
One doesn't need 2 weeks when the death is a grandparent or in-law unless there are extenuating circumstances.
No one is "failing to emphasize" the reduced pay percentage. It's stated in the bill and in the seeded article.
As the small business owner states in the video, employees who aren't the primary income provider in their family could very well take advantage of having a three month "vacation" if Cuomo signs this bill into law which then causes the small business owner to have serious staffing problems.
Perhaps.
2-3 weeks for bereavement is a good length of a parent, a sibling or a child.
Dear Friend Jasper: Back in the day when I was a President and CEO of a global firm there were a certain number of "personal days" that could be used for any purpose the employee wanted and needed.
The amount was based on seniority.
If an employee needed more than those, and it was not an on-going matter they cold go to our Personnel Department for a specific situation.
Where ever possible we would guarantee that when the person returned either their old job, or one of equal pay and stature was available.
If training was necessary, we would pay for it.
This covered most any situation, including bereavement.
None of this was mandatory.
We wanted our employees to know that as practically possible, we had their back when reality got unkind.
Not sure if this is relevant to the point here.
The topic refers to a current bill.
Just contributing how we did things where I had a word in it.
Good topic.
Thanks for posting.
Peace and Abundant Blessings.
Enoch.
In the US we seem to have this mentality of working people to death. Other countries have a minimum number of paid days per year. I know some companies here do give vacation days but not all. Most companies will make you use those vacation days for whatever may arise during the year.
I read an article that stated 1 in 4 people in the US do not get a single paid day off.
Hell, in Spain they get a paid day off if they move.
Dear Friend Ender: They may be all the more productive for it.
Reduces burn out.
Enoch.
Agreed.