http://www.huffingtonpost.com/donald-cohen/another-job-killer-lie-ex_b_812203.htmlDonald Cohen
Executive Director, Center on Policy Initiatives
Posted: January 21, 2011 12:13 PM
You may think it's a way to help your spouse or aging parent recover from a devastating illness, but to the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) California's Paid Family Leave (PFL) law, enacted in 2002, is a "job killer" that costs employers billions of dollars and drives jobs out the state. Allen Zaremberg, president of the California Chamber of Commerce, echoed that view, calling the law "one of the worst."
But a new comprehensive study reveals that these corporate lobby group have been crying wolf. The report, based on a survey of employers and employees, found that the California law has not turned out to be the costly "job killer" that big business warned about. To the contrary, the Paid Family Leave law has produced significant economic, social and health benefits for both male and female workers.
California Governor Gray Davis signed the law on Sept 23, 2002 in the face of massive business opposition. Funded by employee contributions to a state disability fund, the law provides up to six weeks of paid leave to employees to care for a new child or ailing relative.
While the legislature was reviewing the proposed family leave law, the California Chamber of Commerce put it at the top of its annual hit list of "job killer" bills. For the Chamber, this is an annual ritual with lots of fanfare, warnings to legislators (many of whom line their campaign war chests with business contributions), and media stories in which business folks stay on message by repeating the words 'job killer' as many times as possible so that the idea sticks.
FULL story at link.