President Obamas order is the latest in a series of executive orders aimed at federal contractors as the administration tries, so far unsuccessfully, to get broader legislation in place. This past spring, the U.S. Department of Labor established a paid leave resource web page, and Labor Secretary Thomas Perez led a roadshow to advocate for the expansion of paid leave in the United States. In addition, the proposed Family and Medical Leave Insurance (FAMILY) Act was introduced into Congress in March. The FAMILY Act, which remains pending in Congress, would provide partial paid time off for employees taking time off from work for family or medical reasons. Under the FAMILY Act, the partial paid time off would be funded by both employees and employers.
In addition to these pushes at both the executive and legislative levels, an open letter to Congress is gaining national attention this week. The letter was signed by more than 200 business school professors from 88 higher education institutions. These professors wrote in support of a national paid leave standard, including the one provided under the FAMILY Act. The letter stresses the business benefits of providing paid leave, which according to the authors include controlling costs and maximizing productivity through higher retention rates. The letter references state sick leave programs adopted in California, New Jersey, and Rhode Island as successful examples of paid leave insurance programs.
CounselTana VanGoethem practices in the areas of higher education, and employment and labor law. She has extensive experience conducting higher education investigations and adjudications on behalf of institutions, including sexual ...
The information contained in this post is provided to alert you to legal developments and should not be considered legal advice. It is not intended to and does not create an attorney-client relationship. Specific questions about how this information affects your particular situation should be addressed to one of the individuals listed. No representations or warranties are made with respect to this information, including, without limitation, as to its completeness, timeliness, or accuracy, and Lathrop GPM shall not be liable for any decision made in connection with the information. The choice of a lawyer is an important decision and should not be based solely on advertisements.
RSS Feed