Tell Your Legislators: Oppose or Fix Paid FMLA

It is vitally important for business owners to call or email state legislators to tell them how harmful the paid Family & Medical Leave program, as currently proposed, will be to their business. See my previous blog post about FMLA for all of the local legislators' contact information. 

And here are some talking points:

• Unsustainability: The bills require taking 0.5% of each employee’s salary, which is not enough to sustain the program. An employee earning $52,000 a year would contribute just $260 annually, but could still collect up to $12,000 a year. The bills provide a way for the administrator to increase the amount taken from employee paychecks should the fund become insolvent, which is highly likely.
• Cost to employers: The program is costly for employers, because it requires them to maintain a job for each employee who is absent up to 12 weeks each year, while continuing to pay that employee’s expensive nonwage benefits and while covering the cost of a temporary worker or for overtime to cover for the absent worker.
• Cost to the state: Projected startup costs for the program are $13 million, with ongoing costs of $18 million. The bills allow for bonding up to $20 million for this program. Given the state’s financial crisis, it cannot afford to take on these new costs, and it is unreasonable to ask taxpayers to pay these costs in addition to having their wages garnished.
• Too broad: The bill provides for employees on leave to receive 100% of salary up to $1,000 for 12 weeks. No other state offers such a level of coverage (most stop at 60%). The bill also allows employees to take leave to assist someone who is not a relative, but “is equivalent of a family member.” This definition is too broad and could allow for abuses. You could also mention here the provisions for spouses who work together and for family members of those in the armed forces to receive up to 26 weeks of leave. 

To have the greatest impact, focus on members of the Democratic caucus. Please be respectful, whether calling or writing, but make sure you are as specific as possible about how this program will harm your business. 


​Here is contact information for each legislator in Waterbury, followed by other towns:
Rep. Larry Butler, D-72nd District (which includes the eastern & northern sections of Waterbury): Larry.Butler@cga.ct.gov; 860-245-8585
Rep. Stephanie Cummings, R-74th District (which includes the East Mountain area): Stephanie.Cummings@housegop.ct.gov; 860-240-8700
Rep. Anthony D'Amelio, R-71st District (which includes the Town Plot area and a portion of Middlebury): anthony.damelio@housegop.ct.gov; 860-240-8700
Rep. Ron Napoli Jr., D-73rd District (which includes the Bunker Hill area and western portion of Waterbury): ron.napoli@cga.ct.gov; 860-240-8585
Rep. Geraldo Reyes Jr., D-75th District (which includes the Central Business District):
Geraldo.Reyes@cga.ct.gov; 860-240-8585
Sen. Joan Hartley, D-15th District (Waterbury, Naugatuck, Prospect): Hartley@senatedems.ct.gov; 860-240-0006
Sen. Rob Sampson, D-16th District (Cheshire, Prospect, Southington, Waterbury, Wolcott); Rob.Sampson@housegop.ct.gov; 860-240-8800
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Rep. David Labriola, R-131st District (Naugatuck, Oxford, Southbury): David.Labriola@housegop.ct.gov; 860-240-8700
Sen. George Logan, R-17th District (Ansonia, Beacon Falls, Bethany, Derby, Hamden, Naugatuck, Woodbridge): George.Logan@cga.ct.gov; 860-240-8800
Rep. Nicole Klarides-Ditria, R-105th District (Beacon Falls, Derby, Seymour): 
Nicole.Klarides-Ditria@housegop.ct.gov; 860-240-8700
Rep. Rosa Rebimbas, R-70th District (Naugatuck): Rosa.Rebimbas@housegop.ct.gov; 860-240-8700

Sen. Eric Berthel, R-32nd District (Watertown, Bethlehem, Bridgewater, Middlebury, Oxford, Roxbury, Seymour, Southbury, Washington, Woodbury): Eric.Berthel@cga.ct.gov; 860-240-8800
Rep. Joe Polletta, R-68th District (Watertown, Woodbury): joe.polletta@housegop.ct.gov; 860-240-8700

Sen. Mary Abrams, D-13th District (Cheshire, Meriden, Middlefield, Mddletown):  
mary.abrams@cga.ct.gov; 860-240-8800
Rep. Craig Fishbein, R-90th District (Cheshire, Wallingford): Craig.Fishbein@housegop.ct.gov; 860-240-8700​
Rep. Liz Linehan, D-103rd District (Cheshire, Southington, Wallingford): liz.Linehan@cga.ct.gov; 
860-240-8585
Rep. Gale Mastrofrancesco, R-80th District (Southington, Wolcott): 
gale.mastrofrancesco@housegop.ct.gov; 860-240-8700
Rep. Lezlye Zupkus, R-89th District (Bethany, Cheshire, Prospect): Lezlye.Zupkus@housegop.ct.gov; 
860-240-8700

Sen. Henri Martin, R-31st District (Bristol, Harwinton, Plainville, Plymouth, Thomaston):
Henri.Martin@cga.ct.gov; 860-240-8800

Rep. Arthur O'Neill, R-69th District (Bridgewater, Roxbury, Southbury, Washington): 
arthur.oneill@housegop.ct.gov; 860-240-8700

Rep. John Piscopo, R-76th District (Burlington, Harwinton, Litchfield and Thomaston):
john.piscopo@housegop.ct.gov; 860-240-8700

Rep. David Wilson, R-66th District (Bethlehem, Litchfield, Morris, Warren, Woodbury):
David.Wilson@housegop.ct.gov; 860-240-8700