At a Statehouse press conference Thursday, House Speaker Mitzi Johnson (D-South Hero) and Senate President Pro Tempore Tim Ashe (D/P-Chittenden) characterized their plan as a better way to protect those helping a sick or injured relative, becoming new parents or recovering from an illness themselves.
“When that happens, a maybe secure financial situation becomes insecure lightning fast,” Ashe said.
The Democratic proposal, which is expected to be introduced soon in the Vermont House, would provide 12 weeks of leave with full pay, according to Ashley Moore, the state director of the Main Street Alliance and co-chair of the Vermont Family and Medical Leave Insurance Coalition. It would be funded by a 0.93-percent payroll tax, split evenly between employers and employees.
Scott, who vetoed mandatory paid leave legislation last year, unveiled his own proposal Wednesday at a press conference in New Hampshire. His would cover all state workers but would be voluntary for private businesses and administrated by a private insurance company — not the state. Scott’s plan would provide participants with six weeks of leave at 60 percent of their full wage.
Scott has opposed imposing a new payroll tax and has argued that a voluntary plan would be more affordable. He said Wednesday that his would cost enrolled Vermonters about “a buck a day.”
But according to Moore, the Democratic plan would cost less per worker than the governor’s — roughly 70 cents a day for a median income earner — and offer more pay for twice as long. She chalked up some of the savings to the public administration of the program, through the state Department of Labor.
“I think the whole premise of the governor’s plan has been, ‘We can do this and make it more affordable,’” Moore said. “But from our perspective, we’re saying ‘Well, we have a more robust program that covers all Vermonters and is less expensive than your benefit.’”
Moore said that state-run family leave programs are already working well elsewhere, including in California, Washington and Rhode Island. “The legislature’s been in contact … with other states with programs of this nature to discuss how they’re administered, how many staff are needed, so we have a lot of successful models that we can look to,” she said.
Disclosure: Tim Ashe is the domestic partner of Seven Days publisher and coeditor Paula Routly. Find our conflict-of-interest policy here: sevendaysvt.com/disclosure.
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More State employees in a State that can already not afford its current obligations to current employees. We need fewer State employees and more privately employed Vermonters. We are about to hike the minimum wage by 50% which falls on employers and then we are also going to charge them for paid family leave? At what point is it the straw that breaks the camels back? Couldnt we do one as mandatory and at least start with the other as voluntary?
Phil Scott’s plan making it “voluntary” guarantees that the people most in need of this benefit will never see it. Why am I not surprised? Thankfully, the legislature is no longer constrained by his heartless vetoes.
Thats why Vermonters elected Scott, to keep things like this from happening.
More taxes on consumers and businesses? Brilliant Montpelier!! Your progressive agenda is sinking this state. Businesses can’t afford to come or want to leave and real Vermonters are a thing of the past. Like all welfare programs (that’s what this is), this one will be rife with fraud and misuse. ALL of you democrats can pound sand.
While I’m no fan of the Governor’s proposal–PFL should be a benefit provided by employers as part of the total compensation package, just like paid time off/holidays, retirement, salary and health benefits; thus set by supply/demand in the labor market and not set by the state. My employer, for example, offers paid leave at 100% pay for up to 10 weeks (though sick/dying relative is not included).
How can the supporters of the mandatory program possibly proclaim this is “less expensive” than the governors? Will I be charge 0.93% payroll tax, even though I already receive a comparable PFL benefit through my employer? Also, even when split with an employer, a 0.47% tax on an average guy making $90k still comes out to over $400 of extra taxation per year. Remember: This is a payroll, tax, not an income tax, so deferments and deductions won’t help you avoid it.
Enough is enough. If people there was real demand for PFL all employers would offer the program to attract and retain talent (many firms due, so clearly the State doesn’t need to step in).
Democrats in Montpelier want to ram mandatory paid leave through because it’s an ideological issue, a power issue, a “base” issue, a stick it to the Governor issue. They’re going to do it because they think they can. They have the votes, and the leadership can force the rank and file to vote their way. Not because it makes sense for the small business oriented economy of Vermont, which is struggling to survive. Not because it’s the sensible thing to do under the current economic circumstances. Such legislation could kill off a percentage of the remaining small businesses in the state, but they don’t care.
Literally Papau New Guinea and Suriname are the only countries that provide less family leave benefits than the United States. This isn’t an issue of “ramming paid family leave through the legislature” or expecting private enterprise to pick up the slack (ugh private enterprise is concerned with one thing only Mr. DeFrancis – making money). This is about providing an essential benefit, akin to a basic human right. Why wouldn’t you want newborns to be with their mother or father for their first 6 weeks.
Also, I’d suggest all you individuals complaining about taxes and the cost of living explore other states. I moved to Pennsylvania, and this is literally THE WORST state. The air sucks, the state parks suck, the roads sucks, the roads have tolls, the grocery stores suck, the farms sucks – literally everything sucks. I cannot wait for the day I can move back to VT. Stop complaining, help your fellow Vermonters and smile, because you all clearly do not know how great it is to live in VT.
Thomas. https://www.freedominthe50states.org
Before the legislature considers adding new benefits, it might be wise to first make adjustments to ones they already established but did not fully fund.
We have a pension crisis that has recently resulted in a costly downgrade of our credit rating. To add another fiscally questionable program, no matter how potentially beneficial to some families, is irresponsible to say the least.
Doom posts a link to a Koch Institute/Koch Foundation Vice President’s “study” (yes, the right-wing anti-democracy Kock brothers) as some sort of proof that Vermont’s going down the tubes. Nice try.
This actually may be quite beneficial for all the lightly grey-hairs in this state!!!!!! (Age Group 45–72). We are still quite young, have already raised our families and most of our parents have already passed. We’ll now get all those higher paying jobs. I mean really, if you are a small business owner, struggling to stay in business…..are you going to hire someone that is young and newly married, looking to raise a family, or a dedicated older worker, and someone who looks like they won’t need PFL. Just sayin….
The kochs also fund NPR and the nea. But whatever.
The hard right puts Colorado up near the top. The liberal state home to Boulder.
They explained what they rank and how they weigh things, but it’s anti democracy.
You know they’re for open borders, funded everything against Trump, and are quite active on liberal causes, right?
Don’t be this ignorant and then try to slime them or me.
Just another tax on an already over taxed society. Another program that will be mismanaged and funds used for something other than intended. Last thing I need is another tax that has no real purpose. When someone gets pregnant they have 9 months to figure the details and to save for the time off. If they are working they will have vacation time to use, the rest they should be planning accordingly. Employers shouldn’t be forced into another tax and forced to give weeks off paid.