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Family sick leave plan to be studied

Washington one of eight states to receive federal grant

By Lauren Dake, Columbian Political Writer
Published: September 29, 2015, 8:29pm

When Marilyn Watkins’ mother fell ill, Watkins left her home in Seattle and traveled to Vancouver to stay with her parents.

“My sister and I were there for under two weeks before she passed away,” Watkins said. “Then there’s the aftermath of death: helping my dad, planning a memorial, clearing out her belongings.”

Watkins took most of the month of August off from her job at the Economic Opportunity Institute, a nonprofit public policy research and advocacy organization.

Watkins has been a vocal proponent for paid family medical leave in her professional life, and her personal experience helped illustrate the viewpoints she espoused publicly. In her final weeks, Watkins’ mother had a higher quality of life because she could stay in her home. If Watkins hadn’t been able to take time off, her mother would have had to go into hospice care, which likely would have been costly.

On Tuesday, U.S. Secretary of Labor Thomas Perez announced Washington was one of eight states to receive a grant to research implementing a paid leave program. In 2007, the state Legislature approved a paid family leave program but never put it into place, citing a lack of funding.

Currently, under the federal Family Leave Act and Washington State Family Leave Act, employees are guaranteed 12 weeks of unpaid leave for a medical condition or pregnancy.

Washington received $247,000 to study the costs-versus-benefits of a paid family leave program and explore voters’ preferences, according to a news release from the governor’s office.

Gov. Jay Inslee called paid family leave one of the most important things the state can provide for working families.

“Workers often face no-win decisions about returning to work and sacrificing time to care for and bond with a new infant or provide medical care for an ill or aging partner or parent. They simply can’t afford to take time off. Every other industrialized nation has developed an effective tool to help employers and employees with this challenge — so can we,” Inslee said in a statement.

Proponents of the paid leave programs point to research showing healthier children and families and more effective employees that stay in the workforce longer.

The grant, administered by the State Employment Security Department, could offer a more in-depth explanation of the costs of such a program, not only financially but how it could impact other state programs.

“There’s less reliance on public assistance, less need to go on food stamps,” Watkins said.

Other states, such as California, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Rhode Island and Connecticut, have paid family and medical leave programs in place or have earned sick day laws, according to information from the governor’s office.

“No one should be forced to choose between their paycheck and taking care of their family during a medical crisis,” U.S. Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., said in a statement.

State Rep. Paul Harris, R-Vancouver, who is on the leadership team for House Republicans, said he’s in favor of offering a paid sick leave program. When he ran his own business, he offered his employees paid days off.

“To me, the marketplace worked,” Harris said. “If I wanted to entice good employees, I had to offer the benefit.”

But he knows there would likely be pushback within his House Republican caucus.

People don’t like the idea of the government telling them how to run their business, and they would fear the cost of it, he said.

“I think those would be the two major issues, and (some might feel) it shouldn’t be something they are forced to do,” Harris said, adding there is always a concern about what the next government mandate might entail if one is allowed.

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Columbian Political Writer