Mandatory Sick Pay In Maine ...

As a member of the Rockland, Camden, Rockport, chamber of commerce, I received two emails strongly urging us to contact our state legislators who are meeting in session on Jan 14, to pressure them to vote no on LD 1665. The bills header is miss leading in that it portents to be an emergency action bill in the effort to prevent the spread of H1N1. It appears in fact to be a bill designed to mandate Maine business to provide mandatory sick leave for businesses both large and small, for full time and part time employees. I'm not certain why they just don't call it what it is!

Out side of the fact that the bills header was miss leading, I did not find anything in the bill that seemed unreasonable to me. Large businesses would be required to provide 52 hours yearly, and small business would be required to provide 26 hours yearly. The definitions concerning what constitutes sick leave have been greatly broadened to reflect the diverse structure of 21st century families, and appears to be able to be held over to the next year if not used.

Our Chamber, pro business, and in lock step with all things Republican, claim that this will severely impact business in Maine, drive away jobs, and close down business at a time when Maine business is struggling in a poor economy. They however failed to acknowledge that this poor economy is the direct result of business and political practices left over from the last eight years.

As a small business owner I must confess we are struggling to survive, and I am not wild about potentially being required to spend more money ... On the other hand, it seems only proper to provide some benefits to my employees as a gesture of good faith, since I can offer little more than a professional work environment and fair and dignified treatment!

Here is the link if you are inclined to read the proposed bill.

http://www.mainelegislature.org/legis/bills/display_ps.asp?ld=1665&PID=1456&snum=124