Legislature(2009 - 2010)BELTZ 211
03/10/2009 01:30 PM Senate LABOR & COMMERCE
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| SB39 | |
| SB14 | |
| SB86 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| *+ | SB 86 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| *+ | SB 14 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| *+ | SB 39 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED |
SB 86-PAID SICK LEAVE
2:44:34 PM
CHAIR PASKVAN announced SB 86, version R, to be up for
consideration.
SENATOR ELLIS, sponsor of SB 86, said the paid sick leave issue
is important to thousands of Alaskans. The U.S. Department of
Labor statistics estimate that 120,000 Alaskans work without the
safety net of a paid sick leave policy, and are often forced to
choose between coming to work sick and losing their employment.
Many of these workers have jobs in places such as restaurants,
nursing homes and child care facilities where a sick employee is
not only a threat to other employees, but a threat to the
public's health as well.
He encouraged them to read a January 27, 2009 Forbes article
that encapsulated how this view is friendly to employees,
businesses and the public health and safety. Businesses can
benefit and often save money by offering paid sick leave
programs, because when an employee comes to work sick, they
expose other employees to the illness. Because of this, more
workers need to take time off and recover from their illness
instead of just the person who started the illness in the
workplace.
Federal inaction on this issue to date has inspired dozens of
local governments to pass paid sick leave laws. About 15 states
currently are considering this nearly identical legislation.
Three cities have already passed paid sick leave laws of their
own.
2:47:39 PM
SENATOR BUNDE said the article says $180 billion a year is being
lost from non-productive and absent employees, and asked if that
$180 billions isn't also lost when employees are absent because
they are on sick leave.
SENATOR ELLIS responded that the reference is to the other folks
who are infected in the workplace and what that does to
productivity.
SENATOR BUNDE said he remembered when he was a teacher they went
through "the game of sick leave" where people were sick because
of sunburn or something. In many instances it's called personal
leave because that more accurately reflects what really happens
- you had to take a day off because someone else was sick or
something like that. Had the sponsor thought about calling it
personal leave instead of sick leave?
SENATOR ELLIS answered that he would appreciate that discussion,
because there could be a more accurate way to refer to this.
2:49:11 PM
SENATOR MEYER said he supports the idea of sick leave, but even
their own employees come to work if they just have a cold or a
sore throat, because they want to cash in their sick leave. In
theory it sounds good, but the culture in the market place has
to also reflect that.
SENATOR ELLIS said he hoped to discuss those practical
considerations with introduction of the bill.
2:51:22 PM
NICK MOE, aide to Senator Ellis, sponsor of SB 86, explained
section 1 on page 1, line 4, says that all employers must post
sections of this law in a conspicuous location at the workplace,
and the state will offer copies at no additional cost to them.
Sections 2 and 3, beginning on page 1, line 10, describe the
action taken if an employee is not given proper paid sick leave
saying the employer will be liable for the amount of unpaid
minimum wages, unpaid overtime compensation or unpaid sick
leave.
Section 4, on page 2, line 14, establishes the paid sick leave
itself saying for every 40 hours of work an employer will
provide one hour of sick leave to employees residing in the
state of Alaska as well as to those employees who aren't under a
collective bargaining agreement. Section 4, on page 2, line 21,
states if an employer already has paid sick leave for their
employees this doesn't apply to them.
Section 4(d) on page 2, line 30, describes what the paid sick
leave may be used for. It may be used for the prevention,
diagnosis, or the treatment of the employee and paid sick leave
may also be permitted for a member of the employees' immediate
family for a mental or physical illness, injury or health
condition.
2:53:32 PM
Section 4 on page 3, line 7, goes on to explain the potential
employer violations of the section. Section 5 provides an
effective date of October 1, 2009.
2:53:54 PM
SENATOR BUNDE asked if people can cash out sick leave and
remarked that some places have a use it or lose it sick leave
policy.
MR. MOE answered that this bill doesn't allow cashing out sick
leave.
SENATOR BUNDE asked if this requires an employer to pay for sick
leave at the time of termination.
MR. MOE answered no.
2:55:16 PM
STEPHANIE STERN, Work and Family Policy Analyst, National
Partnership for Women & Families, Washington D.C., supported SB
86. She said she had submitted written testimony.
MS. STERN said one of their proudest accomplishments is leading
a nation-wide movement to ensure that all workers are guaranteed
paid sick days to use when they are ill or need to care for a
sick family member. They lead a broad coalition of over 150
groups dedicated to advocating for paid sick days at the federal
level, and they also support advocates who are working at the
state and city level to advance the issue through their
legislative bodies and on the ballot.
She said chances are that each of us will get sick or need to
take care of a family member this year, but not all have the
option to take time off from work to get better. In the U.S.
today, nearly half of the private sector workers don't have a
single paid sick day. Currently no state or federal law insures
that workers have paid sick days when they need them. Three
localities, San Francisco, the District of Columbia, and
Milwaukee, have passed paid sick day standards to date.
2:58:32 PM
Low-wage workers a hit hardest by the lack of paid sick days;
only 1 in 4 low-wage workers have access to paid sick leave and
they often hold jobs that require frequent contact with the
public.
Paid sick days are also important for public health. When people
have no choice but to go to work sick, they risk infecting
others. For example, only 1 in 5 food service or hotel workers
has any paid sick days, and child care, retail and nursing home
workers are also very unlikely to have paid sick days.
This policy is also incredibly important for children. Research
shows that children get better faster with a parent at home to
take care of them. This benefits older relatives the same way,
as well.
MS. STERN said that paid sick leave is also important for
victims of domestic violence and sexual assault. Approximately
7.6 million people per year are the victims of intimate partner
violence. Paid sick and safe days will insure that all survivors
of domestic violence, stalking or sexual assault are guaranteed
paid sick time when they need it most to leave a violent
situation and access necessary services without risk of losing
their jobs or their paychecks.
Finally, she said, they know that paid sick days are good for
the U.S. economy. Those workers who have no paid sick days go to
work sick and spread sickness to their colleagues lowering their
overall productivity and cost the employer greatly. When workers
are guaranteed paid sick days, employers benefit as healthy
workers are more productive and spread of illness is reduced.
Employers also reap savings by having reduced turnover, the
costs of which include advertising, interviewing, and training
replacement workers. These costs are generally far greater than
the cost of providing paid sick time to retain existing workers.
She also added that paid sick days are critically important
during times of economic downturns. Losing pay for even a day
can be a blow to a family's budget that is already stretched to
the limits. Losing a job due to missing work can result in
financial catastrophe.
3:01:14 PM
In a recent poll, 1 in 6 respondents reported that they or a
family member had been fired, suspended, punished or had been
threatened with being fired for taking the time off for personal
illness.
CHAIR PASKVAN said he would hold SB 86.
SENATOR BUNDE asked that they address the "safe" language,
because Ms. Stern mentioned it and it wasn't in the title.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| SB 14 Bill Packet.pdf |
SL&C 3/10/2009 1:30:00 PM |
SB 14 |
| SB 14 Fiscal Note.pdf |
SL&C 3/10/2009 1:30:00 PM SL&C 3/24/2009 1:30:00 PM |
SB 14 |
| SB 39 Bill Packet.pdf |
SL&C 3/10/2009 1:30:00 PM |
SB 39 |
| SB 86 Bill Packet.pdf |
SL&C 3/10/2009 1:30:00 PM SL&C 3/24/2009 1:30:00 PM |
SB 86 |
| SB 86 Back-Up Steffany Stern Testimony.pdf |
SL&C 3/10/2009 1:30:00 PM SL&C 3/24/2009 1:30:00 PM |
SB 86 |