THE PLANK JUNE 27, 2007
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As Ezra Klein says, there's not too much that's shocking about the new Labor Department report finding that workers want more sick leave and paid vacation while businesses want, well, less. But this paragraph seemed ominous:
Many businesses complained that the Labor Department's definition of a serious health condition enabling workers to take leave was unclear and too generous. Many companies also said their operations were hurt when workers with chronic conditions, like asthma or migraine headaches, took frequent leaves.
Employers have been complaining about the "chronic condition" clause for a long time. Now they finally get to put in a formal complaint. Presumably that means that the administration is looking into a way to make sure that workers with migraines are required to suck it up and keep working. In particular, the National Association of Manufacturers wants employers to have better access to the medical records of their employees--for the workers' own good, of course. At this point, it wouldn't be terribly shocking if the Labor Department was actually receptive to that idea.
In any case, it's possible that the NAM actually has a valid complaint about the "chronic condition" clause being abused. I don't really know. But surely, then, they'd be amenable to some sort of grand bargain in which that rule gets tightened (in some way that doesn't involve letting employers have detailed medical files of all their workers) in exchange for more paid leave. Oh, wait, no, they'd never agree to that.
--Bradford Plumer
8 comments
They're so hard-working after all. Just ask Vicente Fox! Aren't they here to do work the jobs "Americans aren't willing to do?" A little headache ain't gonna stop them.
- Lymon1
June 27, 2007 at 1:13pm
Typically 2 weeks, and many don't even take that off. If you work for a big employer, usually the time off grows with years of service. At a smaller outfit, say a locally owned shop, you'll be lucky to get 2 weeks if anything. Quite often that time off is not with pay, as the business is shut down during that time. See, we 'murkins are lazy bums according to the infinitely wise bidness men. You know, those guys that make millions laying off those lazy bums.
- tnmats
June 27, 2007 at 2:05pm
What's the paid annual leave of the average American, excluding bank holidays?
- The Ignorant Populist
June 27, 2007 at 1:37pm
Yeah, two weeks is typical. But employers aren't required by law to offer any paid vacation, as far as I know.
- Brad Plumer
June 27, 2007 at 2:13pm
The lowest allowed over here is 21 days paid leave. You get more bank holidays, I think, but it still doesn't make up for it. Your maternity leave is criminal.
- The Ignorant Populist
June 27, 2007 at 2:53pm
The latest thing has been "paid time off." Aside from the six bank holidays, my wife received ten PTO days to use for sick days or vacation each year. And this from an employer who went and got a new Lexus every two years. That was a big motivator in my wife opening her own business.
- jfelliott
June 27, 2007 at 4:02pm
I own a small business with three employees. They get 19-24 days of paid time off per year (plus holidays). Many small businesses offer little or nothing.
- davidsmith192
June 27, 2007 at 5:53pm
Thought #1. This is a stupid direction to point in if the major demographic shift going on right now is the 'graying' of the workforce. These Repubs make me think of Casey Stingel: 'Can't anybody here play this game?!' Thought #2 How many of those 'chronically ill' workers have been sold on the conservative approach to healthcare by fearmongering AM radio pundits blasting away at 'socialised medicine' and 'government healthcare'? They'd be much better off in a socialised system that could quarantee their sick-days.
- crazylucy
June 28, 2007 at 11:14pm