Articles for April 2007 Congress To Consider Paid Sick Leave - On Jan. 10, the U.S. House of Representatives approved a bill to increase the federal minimum wage to $7.25 per hour over the next two years. The Senate is considering a similar bill.
Congress To Consider Paid Sick Leave Sen. Edward M. Kennedy (D-MA) and Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) plan to make another effort to get Congress to pass a paid sick leave law—their third attempt in three years. The Healthy Families Act would guarantee seven paid sick days a year to full-time employees. Leave would be prorated for part-time employees who work 20 hours or more per week. The act would apply to employers with 15 or more employees. The legislation, which has not yet been introduced to the 110th Congress, would allow employees to take paid sick leave for a variety of medical conditions, including treatment for a physical or mental condition, or to go to doctor's appointments. Employees also could use leave to care for family members, who the act defines as children, parents, spouses, and other individuals "related by blood or affinity whose close association with the employee is the equivalent of a family relationship." Sen. Kennedy, who chairs the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, recently held hearings on paid sick leave, and he and Rep. DeLauro staged a rally on Capitol Hill last week to generate public support. Their plan garnered little support in 2004 and 2005, and the chances for passage this year—despite the political shift in Congress—are considered slim. Last month, San Francisco became the first U.S. jurisdiction to enact a paid sick leave law. Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Montana, Vermont, and Wisconsin are considering similar legislation. Source: American Staffing Association - Back to Top -
HR Pros Concerned About Talent About half of human resource professionals polled in a recent survey cited employee attraction and retention as the top challenge facing them for the next three years. The Top Five Total Rewards Priorities survey is conducted annually by Deloitte Consulting and the International Society of Certified Employee Benefit Specialists. "Health care costs have consistently been HR's top concern for the past eight years," wrote Marlene Prost in a Human Resource Executive article. But this year, for the first time in the 13-year history of the survey, 77% of high-revenue companies ranked "attracting, motivating, and retaining talent" as a greater worry than health care costs. The work force is shrinking as baby boomers retire and Generation Y employees seek jobs that offer flexibility. Prost quoted Richard Wahlquist, ASA president and chief executive officer, who said, "Young workers…have a stronger desire to achieve a greater equilibrium in work and life." Source: Reem El-Khatib, American Staffing Association - Back to Top -
State Legislatures Focus on Immigration Reform Frustrated by the lack of action by Congress on immigration reform, state legislatures across the country have begun addressing the topic themselves. Some are contemplating legislation regarding social services for illegal immigrants. Some are debating immigration legislation that affects employers. Last year, Colorado passed legislation that dramatically affects employers that do business in the state. The law, which took effect Aug. 7, requires employers that receive service contracts from the state to verify, or attempt to verify, employees' employment eligibility through the participation in the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services' Basic Pilot Program. Companion legislation, which took effect Jan. 1, mandates the collection and maintenance of additional documentation by employers to demonstrate compliance with federal employment verification requirements. In West Virginia, legislation passed this year would penalize companies that hire "unauthorized workers." Companies in violation could face fines, criminal penalties, and even the loss of their business licenses. The bill has been sent to Gov. Joe Manchin for his signature. Legislatures in 16 states are debating immigration reform issues that could significantly influence the way that companies do business. Employers across the country must understand the potential impact these types of laws would have if enacted in their own states. Source: Toby Malara, American Staffing Association 
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