At our Policy Summit on Sept. 25 at Semiahmoo, Gov. Chris Gregoire told AWB members that Paid Family Leave is "suspended." Apparently, the suspension hasn't lasted long. According to a Paid Family Leave advocacy group, there is a coordinated Democrat strategy to fund the paid leave program in the 2009 Legislative Session.
The Paid Family Leave program, which authorizes $250 per week for five weeks when parents give birth or adopt a child, was passed and signed by Gregoire in 2007. The problem is they haven't figured out a tax to pay for it. California and New Jersey have paid family leave programs and California's is funded through a payroll tax, primarily on workers. AWB asked the Gov. and legislature to modify Washington's law to exempt employers who provide paid leave programs. They refused. So in 2009, AWB will seek outright repeal.
Here is what the Governor and key Democrat leaders told Kristin-Rowe Finkbeiner, head of MomsRising.org. She passed on this information to legislators.
- Senate Majority Leader Lisa Brown: "It's critically important that parents get to spend time with their newborn or newly adopted babies, and that families get to spend time with seriously ill loved ones, without fear of losing their jobs and ending in a downward economic spiral. Peope need Family Leave Insurance so they can both carry our their responsibililties to their jobs and to their families. We'll be tackling a permanent funding source in the upcoming legislative session and I fully support implementing Family Leave Insurance in our State."
- Speaker of the House Frank (10- 8-08): "In a time of economic insecurity, working familes need Family Leave Insurance more than ever. The legislature has passed Family Leave Insurance and is committed to findina a long-term funding source for the premiums.
- Gov. Gregoire (10/9/08): "Family Leave has been an issue that I've strongly supported over the years. We have come to realize that the Family and Medical Leave Act passed by Congress, while an important milestone in legislation to help working families, did not address the economic issues of caring for our love ones. These issues, I know, are faced by families in our state every day. That's why working closely with legislative leaders in bot the House and Seante, I supported "Family Leave Insurance" last year. As you know our economic climate has taken a dramatic turn nationally that's unfortunately affecting our state economic stability, as well as the economic stability of families. It is my hope and commitment that working with you and legislative leadership we can work on a strategy to addres funding opportunities for this imporant program."
AWB supports the objectives of those pushing for family leave, but strongly believes these are issues which can be worked out between the employer and the workers. As a example, AWB has worked with our staff in the last 20 years when nine gave birth to children and three suffered through bouts of cancer. Through our flexible leave programs, our staff was paid while on leave at the full salaries with benefits. In some cases, our staff even donated their leave to help those seriously ill.
We encourage our members to work with their employees and we believe they are. We do not believe those employers or workers covered under paid leave programs should have to subsidize those who are not or create a whole new costly bureaucratic structure to implament a one-size fits all government program.
Don C. Brunell, President (DonB@awb.org)
