Senate approves costly paid sick leave mandate

(June 1, 2007) The state Senate has approved yet another bill that will push the cost of doing business in Connecticut even higher. SB-601 requires all employers of 50 or more employees to provide all of their hourly and non-exempt employees — including part-time, temporary and seasonal workers — a paid sick leave benefit.

Employers will have to provide paid sick leave in increments of one hour for every 40 hours worked — with unlimited and indefinite carry-over into succeeding years.

SB-601 is a new government mandate that will actually make it harder for Connecticut employers — especially smaller businesses — to create or even maintain critically needed jobs with good benefits. The bill :
• Disregards the ability of Connecticut employers to afford it
• Includes full- and part-time, seasonal or temporary employees
• Requires employers to permit employees to carry-over unused sick time
• Provides potential for employee abuse

The original proposal mandated paid sick leave for employers of 15 or more employees, which means the ultimate intent of its proponents is to make it applicable to most, if not all, employers in Connecticut.

Many Connecticut employers already provide their employees, even part-timers, with sick leave and other paid time off benefits, as well as short- and long-term disability programs.

CBIA urges state lawmakers to reject SB-601 as very harmful to Connecticut’s businesses and economy. For more information, contact CBIA’s Kia Floyd at 860-244-1931 or floydk@cbia.com.

CBIA Action Center

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