From the Harford County Chamber of Commerce:
Editor:
The mandated paid leave bills currently being considered in the Maryland House and Senate (HB 1 and SB 230) are severely detrimental to the business community of Harford County. The Harford County Chamber of Commerce represents 800 local businesses; over the course of this year’s legislative session we have heard persistent, vocal concerns about these bills from our business community due to the extreme financial and administrative burdens it imposes on them. Although the bills are couched in language that suggests it defends vulnerable workers in Maryland, the truth is that this legislation will have the greatest negative impact on entry-level workers and small businesses trying to make ends meet.
Consider businesses that hire workers on a seasonal basis. These employees are often students, people struggling to find employment, and men and women holding more than one job. Because this legislation demands that employers keep excessive documentation on these employees’ hours in case they return the following season, and because earned leave is re-credited when these employees are reinstated, the law effectively discourages businesses from hiring the same workers year after year. Businesses will have no choice but to hire workers who have not already accrued significant amounts of paid leave. It is easy to imagine a large corporation simply hiring more workers; in reality, it is the “Mom and Pop” businesses who can barely afford to hire seasonal employees as is, let alone supplement their workforce because reinstated employees are entitled to take leave during the most demanding parts of the year.
Employers tend to give their employees what they can afford to give while remaining competitive with other businesses. Many already provide benefits that cover illness, but those who do not give such benefits cannot afford to do so. Even the Federal Government recognizes that smaller employers are less able to provide certain benefits. Laws like the Family and Medical Leave Act only apply to businesses with 50 or more employees. In comparison, the Maryland House and Senate bills apply to employers with as few as 15 employees. The harmful effects of such legislation are basic economics – and similar laws passed in other states illustrate the detrimental impact that will follow in Maryland. In San Francisco, the Institute for Women’s Policy and Research found that the local paid leave law was responsible for layoffs and hours reductions for almost 20 percent of all leisure and hospitality workers. In Washington, D.C., employers had to revamp their payroll and leave tracking systems, spend time and money revising policies for the sake of compliance, and hire lawyers to ensure they were not breaking the law unknowingly. Again, while this is easier for large businesses with human resource departments and personnel who manage leave, small local businesses in Harford County may only have one owner in charge of everything.
The Harford Chamber recognizes why the General Assembly wants to pass this law. Like our legislators, we seek to improve our community by supporting our businesses and workers. The mandated paid leave bills do not accomplish this goal. They squeeze our businesses financially and lead to greater unemployment, lower wages, and less job security. This legislation is not just bad business, it is bad common sense.
Sincerely,
Angela Rose
President & CEO
Harford County Chamber of Commerce
Thank you, Chamber of Commerce. The paid sick leave idea is truly anti-business. Fortunately I don’t have 15 employees so it won’t affect me directly. If I did have 15 employees I would do one of two things; 1. Cut back to fewer than 15, or
2. Eliminate all vacation time and simply let it be called sick leave.
The fools in Annapolis have never had to make a payroll and only have some direction from Marx and Engel.
Which business do you own tough guy? That way we will know which one to boycott.
I bet you take at least 6 weeks vacation and give your employees crap when they call out sick for a day. Guys like you force your employees to take time from the crappy one week vacation you give them in lieu of a sick day. It is a real comfort to know that the loyal employees that make your business a success mean so little to you.
Are you sure that is “Nasney” and not “Nasty”?
You give vacation and not sick? That makes no sense.
Yea you really sound like an employer. Sounds legit.;)
The Harford Chamber of Commerce is nothing but a Right-Wing Republican political lobby. Take everything they say with a grain of salt. They are not interested in the best interest and heath of workers, They represent the avarice greed of bad employers. Even the grand old Wal-Mart gets away with a measure of this indecent behavior everyday. At Wal-Mart you earn sick leave after a year of employment. But…..they pay no one sick leave on the first day they are sick. After a year you have to burn personal/vacation time for the first day your sick. The richest welfare corporation in America exploits all their workers out of sick leave on the first day they are sick. That’s sick and sad inhumane greed. That’s the fight the Harford County Chamber of Commerce is fighting. Exploit workers out of basic sick leave benefits . I say throw every Harford politician in Annapolis out of office that votes against HB1 and SB230. Republican are against extending sick leave. Democrats and Independents are for extending sick leave
The vote in the House was 88-51 in favor. 88 Democrats – Yay 3 Democrats Nay – 48 Repubs Nay – 2 Repubs Absent
Throw McComas, Terresa Reilly, Andy Cassilly and Glen Glass out of office. They do not care about the health of the average worker in Harford or Maryland. There interest is only in maximun profits for corporations large and small.regardless of the heath of employees.
Thank you Mary Lisanti (D-34)!
I’m confused. Will workers get their paid sick leave?
Successful business are those that treat their employees well. It’s no wonder those employers that don’t are struggling it’s because your employees quit and get a better job making you spend more money on constantly training.
And for the stupid claims of record keeping give me a break employers have to keep employee records next to forever. That dog don’t hunt.
“Mom and Pop” businesses who can barely afford to hire seasonal employees as is, let alone supplement their workforce because reinstated employees are entitled to take leave during the most demanding parts of the year.
Oh the drama. If they aren’t making enough money to hire employees don’t. Remember employers don’t create jobs, customers do and if you don’t have them don’t hire.
And where does the law state time can be taken during the most demanding times or just more drama?
If this bill passes, more people will be looking for jobs.
Don’t kid yourself it’s an employees market right now. Crappy employers can’t keep good employees, finding a better job has never been easier.
And when it passes all good employees will be healthier and wealthier except Wal-Mart workers.
According to the C of C:
“Employers tend to give their employees what they can afford to give while remaining competitive
with other businesses.”
Translate: “Employers, seeking to maximize their profits and promote the highest quality of life for themselves and their families, try to provide the most minimum of benefits to their employees.”
This state hates small business. This is a big win for Appleby’s and Amazon. And driving more small businesses out. Main Street already has problems. Go down Bel Air and see how many spaces are open versus two years ago. If it is not high mark up items (booze and vape juice) it going to be cheaper online. So when your local stores close and no one wants to sponsor your kids little league team or PTA fund raiser, remember this moment.
If Main st already has problems and there are more spaces today than 2 years ago clearly sick leave isn’t the problem. So what are the Harford county republicans doing to combat this terrible business climate besides nothing?
If you can’t give your employees a basic living standard, then you don’t belong in business.
Why not get rid of the blood sucking remp services, they exploit the poor ang oppressed