The plan would grant 12 weeks of paid leave benefits for anyone caring for a newborn or seriously sick relative in NY. A fourth state, Washington, has passed, but never implemented, its paid family leave legislation.
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“This is about a fight for basic fairness in this state”, Cuomo told the group.
“There are times in life when you should be with family members, because that’s what it’s all about at the end of the day”, Cuomo said at the rally with Biden.
“This bill says it doesn’t matter what your circumstances are, how many employees you have, what the nature of that employment is, what the challenges you might face in finding temporary workers, in holding jobs open for the return of someone in paid leave”, Pokalsky says.
She acknowledged that California, New Jersey and Rhode Island pay less.
Starting in 2018, workers could take paid leave and collect 50 percent of their average weekly pay. In California and New Jersey, workers can collect benefits for six weeks, and Rhode Island imposes a four-week limit. “I want to spend some time with a new born baby, they should have that right and it doesn’t require that they be rich enough to take that time off. But there’s paid family leave because everyone deserves that right”, Cuomo declared.
“This is an issue that will be at the forefront of the legislature’s agenda this year”, said Catherine Bailey, chair of the Campaign for Paid Family Leave and policy director for the Connecticut Women’s Education and Legal Fund.
Democratic lawmakers are pressing for the measure, and they have introduced bills similar to Cuomo’s proposal. Briccetti said the program would lead to staffing problems for employers, particularly small businesses.
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The Business Council, which endorsed Cuomo when he ran for governor in 2010 and 2014, also has voiced opposition to his proposal to gradually increase New York’s minimum wage to $15 an hour. “Should you have to choose between your paycheck and them?”
