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STATE HOUSE

Business groups remain opposed to pared-down paid-sick-days bill

By Susan M. Cover scover@mainetoday.com
MaineToday Media State House Writer

AUGUSTA -- The Labor Committee on Monday reviewed a scaled-back version of a bill to require some Maine employers to provide paid sick days to employees.

Even as amended, the bill continues to draw strong opposition from the business community.

The committee is considering L.D. 1665, "An Act to Prevent the Spread of H1N1," sponsored by Senate President Elizabeth Mitchell, D-Vassalboro. A vote by the committee is expected Thursday.

The original bill called for all Maine employers to provide paid sick days but an amendment presented Monday changes that requirement to businesses with 50 or more workers.

Under the bill, employees would be able to earn one hour of paid sick leave for every 80 hours worked, up to 26 hours a year.

Paid sick leave would not begin accruing until after an employee had worked at least 180 days. The time could be used as a sick day taken by an employee or to care for a relative. It could also be used to obtain social or legal services if an employee is a victim of stalking, domestic violence or sexual abuse.

Sarah Standiford, executive director of the Maine Women's Lobby, which has advocated strongly for the bill, said an estimated 137,000 Maine workers who now have no paid sick time would benefit from the amended bill.

She said critics who say the economy is too fragile to put a new requirement on businesses aren't looking at the whole picture. Many workers in Maine fear they will lose a job if they stay home sick, she said.

"It's exactly because of the hard times that we need to make sure people are able to keep their employment," she said.

Yet the Maine State Chamber of Commerce and National Federation of Independent Businesses of Maine say they still oppose the measure.

"We would be the only state in the country to require this burden," said Peter Gore of the Maine State Chamber of Commerce. "You are creating, forever, a new fixed cost that will drop to the bottom line."

David Clough of NFIB Maine said that, by scaling back the bill, supporters only changed the starting point for coverage. "I expect in the future they will move the starting point toward one employee," he said.

Legislators on the Labor Committee appeared split on the bill, with most Democrats supporting it and most Republicans opposing it.

Some said the amendment made the measure more palatable.

"I expressed concern as it related to small employers," said Rep. Paul Gilbert, D-Jay. "I appreciate the amendment to have that level at 50 now."

Rep. Andre Cushing, R-Hampden, said the bill will have consequences and that the committee needs to think about people who want to start a new business in Maine.

"It's an insult to some of them to say they don't care about employees and that they make their workers come to work sick," he said.

The committee delayed a vote until Thursday after other questions came up from members, such as whether the state Department of Labor supports the bill and how Gov. John Baldacci feels about it.

Baldacci's Deputy Chief of Staff David Farmer said Baldacci had concerns with the original bill and the possibility of putting "new requirements on businesses in a fragile economy."

Baldacci had not reviewed the amendment as of Monday afternoon, Farmer said.

Rep. Steven Butterfield, D-Bangor, said he's tired of what he called "a constant drumbeat" from lobbyists who characterize the bill as anti-business.

"What I'm burdened and frustrated by is that, in this day and age, people have to make a choice between staying home when they are sick, or losing a job," he said.

Susan Cover -- 620-7015

scover@centralmaine.com