Paid family leave sure to be a "squeaker" come Monday

What’s the rush to implement this plan?

I don’t know why we don’t wait a couple of years so that proper data can come back from California and Washington as to the exact impacts on the plan’s costs and impacts on business? Right now it's just a lot of assumptions and beliefs.

New Jersey is like the little twerp in the neighborhood, you know which one I’m talking about. It’s like it has the Napoleon Complex or Little Pee Pee Syndrome. We’re one of the smallest states, yet we have to be AS BIG as California. So we currently have almost as many legislature as they do and about the same debt ratio as they do.

With baby boomers starting to reach retirement, any fool can see that there will be an immense demand for this service in the future. I only hope that this plan, if it goes through, is completely self-funding and will adjust the deductions accordingly. If not, then this state will be in for more hurt. In Washington, rumor has it that they've already had to hire over 100 full-time employees to manage the plan. There are rumors of substantial cost overruns. All sounds good now, but until there is long-term analysis – all is just guesswork by one biased side or the other.

Again – What’s the rush to get this in?

Let’s see what actually happens in the other states first, after these plans normalize, instead of listening to the pundits theories - all of whom have ulterior motives.

It is extremely disappointing that Senator Rice is considering an amendment that will prevent millions of New Jersey residents - thousands in his own district – from receiving Family Leave Insurance.

The main street businesses in Senator Rice’s district are built by the people of Newark and they are just a deserving as the people that Senator Kean represents in the Highlands.

Rice should drop his amendment, and both he and Kean should vote for the bill.

Haines has a lot of pressure from Labor and The Time to Care Coalition; he will vote the right way.

Another state mandate on businesses operating in a stifiling economic climate.

The ruse used by the collectivists is that it would only cost "a dollar a week."  It costs businesses time and labor.  So-called "family leave" should be a benefit just as is vacation, sick time, etc.

In trying to help workers "take care of themselves," we are going to hear they can't survive on the amount they will receive from paid family leave since it will not match their previous wages.  Since most of these people do not have sufficient savings, this law will lead to greater stipends over time.  If they had emergency funds, there would be no need for this mandate.

Depending on the government to take care of you during "unexpected" events such as the birth of a child is not wise family planning in any way, shape or form.

So they think that this program can be funded for "only" $33/year per employee?  Puh-leeeeeeze.  It's another tax increase and another program that will need increased funding sooner rather than later.  Furthermore, it's another burden for small businesses and another reason for the middle class to get out of New Jersey.

This bill stinks, in plain English.

"The man who reads nothing at all is better educated than the man who reads nothing but newspapers." - Thomas Jefferson

The Anti-family people are out in strength. If you are against this Bill then you have taken a stance against the sanctity of the family unit. This is a good Bill that will only help families and strengthen the bond of families.  This country was built on the strength of the family unit. It is Un-American to be against the Family Unit and the bonds of the family Unit.

The anti-family, greedy , anti-patriotic Chamber of Commerce has put profit ahead of the Family.

SHAME ON THEM!

Paid Family Leave is a good quality of Life Bill that will not hurt one business.

SUPPORT PAID FAMILY LEAVE!

The problem with the Paid Family Leave act is that is purely speculative, based on presumptions from other states anticipated cost 'research'. Some of these presumptions are already starting to come home to roost. There is no rush to get this bill enacted. Why not wait for the other states to find out the flaws in their plans before plowing forward like a bunch of lemmings into the sea?

Firstamend07 stated that “The anti-family, greedy , anti-patriotic Chamber of Commerce has put profit ahead of the Family.” If this were true not true, then the CoC would not be behind the abysmal toll road scheme. That will crush business and commuting employees, thereby crushing families worse.

  There are a few reservations to this plan that need to be addressed: 

1) To make it fair, the money that is contributed by an employee should be based on income level. That way lower income individuals are not subsidizing higher income folks. If this is to especially help lower income households during times of need, then there needs to be measures in place to make sure the money is proportionally distributed to them. 

2) In Washington State, preliminary studies show that this plan will cost $110M per year to manage and will require over 100 full-time state employees. Some are saying this is not so, but Washington already hired over 100 full-timers. Then you need the office space, computers, and the like. And this is a state with the population of Washington, New Jersey has so many more residents!

3) There needs to be mechanisms in place to verify citizenship of the employees. This would prevent funds from being distributed to illegals, fraudulent or non-state citizens. 

4) There needs to be controls in the plan to prevent the State from absorbing any cost overruns. This plan needs to be fully funded, not relying on other state resources. The rates charged to employees must remain flexible so that it can dynamically change with regard to the amount of capital reserve in the fund. If there is an excessive amount collected and not utilized, then the taxing rate needs to be reduced, if there is a shortfall then the rate needs to be increased. 

5) The fund must be a truly dedicated fund so that is cannot be raided by future administrations like the Transportation Trust Fund and Firefighters/EMT Training fund was raided.

Great idea, but the state cant afford it.

There is nothing in the operation of this bill that would preclude the state from bailing out this fund if it becomes overcommitted.

I have watching this one for quite some time.  This bill on top of all the other state mandates, rules, regulations, taxes, and increases in costs over the past few years has inspired me to make some changes.  My business has become more customer interactive, where they can actually service their own needs.  I was able to do without 3 employees.

I am now in process of taking even more steps to make the store more self-sufficient since the first round has worked so well and enabled me to keep the doors open.  My customers are actually being shown where to find information themselves.  Informational sheets are being written for customers that explains the business, where to look, how it works, etc. 

If you look at the newest NJ employee stats it shows that I am not the only business doing with less employees. 

 So go ahead and promote and pass another tax and business like me will continue to find even new inovative ways to do with the least employees possible.

Who loses? Employees won't have to worry about the time, they will have all the time they need.  Employers won't have to worry about employees being out, because they will have learned to set the business up to do without so many workers.  Not all business can do this, but mine along with many others are able to and the stats show it's reality.

It’s obvious that there are those on this thread who are speaking from whence they do not know. There is going to be profound business and state impact with this bill. I am attaching a link to bill:

http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/2008/Bills/S1000/786_I1.PDF

Pay attention to pages 30 onwards. If those can follow the writing of this, and also pull the other bills and amendments that are cited, you will see that just this section alone is really out of control. Training, compliance, record keeping and the contribution rates are going to be onerous. It will be like having another unemployment system to manage. Oh, BTW, the Unemployment rates change as well, especially if the company's reserves drops below certain points. There are reports to the employer, cross reports to the Department of Labor and Workforce Development who in turns notifies the State Treasurer for each business account. I can go on, but I am getting a headache reading this garbage.

This plan IS a bad idea in this current economic time!

I’ve seen in past posts here an on nj.com that you are a state worker, which I’ll all behind you guys. I’m a single parent technical employee who pays for a part-time residential employer. I have several attorneys and an accountant in my family and we have actually read this bill and calculated the cost impacts. What I say is not rhetoric, as I am learned and actually read the bill I speak about.

This will impact me several hundred dollars more per year in direct costs, for just one part-time, $200/week employee. Then there is the approximate $200 - $300 in accounting fees that will also be levied against me for payroll processing. If my sitter takes an event, my contribution rates will skyrocket, as my fund will now be in the red. If this impacts me, it will also impact other employers as well.

So for me, a single parent of four young children, my yearly expenses will rise by at least $500. This takes money directly from my family and me. Unfortunately, I do have to work and childcare needs necessitate a babysitter.

If this plan were completely independent, I would be all for it. It isn’t though.

 What’s worse is that the legislature and lobby groups want to ram this bill into law, when two other states are just beginning to pilot the program and are already experiencing problems with it. A prudent company waits to see how other firms handle new initiatives before jumping into them. Why can’t New Jersey learn from other state’s mistakes and do this thing right the first time. Why do we have to spend millions to correct errors, and thereby forcing the businesses to change what they are doing again? This causes a ripple effect through the state – and yes, we all pay for it one way or another.

The bumtag V2.0 site will soon be publicizing those legislators who support wasteful and counter-economic measures, including those who support the Paid Family Leave bill. Stay tuned.

 firstamend07,

I am at this point only worried about keeping the doors open.  It will be a good many years to pay off the large debt owed on the business, accrued mostly in the last 2 years.  Should I not worry about this?

Here's why it does not pay to increase my business and hire more employees.  I'll use round numbers so your simple mind can understand.  Lets say my store grosses 500 thousand and I hope to increase it to 600 thousand.  Let's start a new employee at a low salary of 30 thousand.  My workman's comp employer paid matching tax contributions and worker benefits will cost me about 8 thousand.  I have a thirty percent profit margin in todays market.  So on that 100 thousand I will gain 30 thousand.  I'm 8 thousand in the hole to have that employee.  Should I hire another employee and not be worried about the money just to give some poor unemployeed person a job?  Should I even consider the desire to increase business?

Listen, you are not a business owner, by your own admission, so what credentials do you have to even open your mouth about what a business has to deal with on a daily basis? 

The state of the business world today is a result of many years of laws, taxes, restrictions, regulations that are onerous to businesses.

You ever hear of the "straw that broke the camels back"?  This may be it.   

If you feel so strongly about this, why don't you bankroll this givaway yourself?

People like you who are free with other people's money make me vomit.  Go get a job loser.  Stop looking for other people to support your lifestyle. 

firstamend07,  One reason I am in so much debt is because I did not ax any employees.  Where does a businesses responsibility begin and end not only for the employee, but now for their family?

You have never addressed who is going to pay for the extra costs business and doctors will have for paperwork, validation, overtime or temp help.

It's the consumers who will pay.  So as an employee one will pay into for the new tax, and as a consumer one will pay at the register for increased costs of products and service.  As a business owner, I will pay through an increased deduction on my personal check, I will pay through an increased workload if an employ takes the time, I will pay more at the doctor's office, and I will also pay at someone elses register.  Four hits to my pocket add up.  This will be because of a state mandate if this bill passes. 

Also, recall Corzine said there will be no new taxes this year.  Shall we add this to his list of lies? 

The working people and business cannot afford this bill, period!

Currently there is the federal family leave bill and the NJ family leave bill.  At this time they are sufficient.

And the bull about if you are against this bill you are anti family is just that, bull!  It is nothing more than a red herring and and attempt to lay a guilt trip.