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The Brian Lehrer Show / March 04, 2008 / Family Leave, New Jersey-style

Family Leave, New Jersey-style

Tuesday, March 04, 2008

In a historic and emotional vote, the New Jersey State Senate just passed legislation making it the third state in the nation to give paid family leave for caretakers. David Chen, New Jersey State House Bureau Chief for the New York Times, explains the particulars.


Comments

  • [1] adsf March 04, 2008 - 10:31AM

    6 x $530 = whoohoo! Gas and ringdings until summer!
  • [2] inquisigal from Brooklyn March 04, 2008 - 10:35AM

    Brian, can you ask your guest if this legislation would cover full-time freelance workers or sole proprietors? Though I live in Brooklyn, I'm curious how this might eventually trickle down to effect NYC...
  • [3] Rochelle from NJ March 04, 2008 - 10:38AM

    I took advantage of the same benefit through the previous Short Term Dis for a new born. I think this is simply extending the benefit to men ( re: new babies).


  • [4] Joan from Williamsburg March 04, 2008 - 10:39AM

    The businesses may not pay for this directly, but they have to cover that worker's position while they are gone. There's a cost there.
  • [5] Suh from New Jersey March 04, 2008 - 10:39AM

    How does this work with your short term disability?


  • [6] Roberta from Brooklyn (now at work in Jackson Heights) March 04, 2008 - 10:40AM

    Does it count toward adoption leave?
  • [7] Owen from Rochester March 04, 2008 - 10:41AM

    Are you kidding? A $30/yr tax for this kind of benefit is a steal. Hope to see this in NYS.
  • [8] serena from New York March 04, 2008 - 10:41AM

    personally, i'd be happy to pay 3x that amount per year -- for that safety net.


  • [9] Ned from Piscataway NJ March 04, 2008 - 10:41AM

    JAFT... just another "f" tax. When will the state start "borrowing" from this insurance fund being run by the state?
  • [10] Loretta from Manhattan March 04, 2008 - 10:41AM

    I am a Canadian living in the U.S. Maternity leave in the province of Ontario is one year and it is self-funding. The province is thriving! Why are Americans so reluctant to take care of their families?
  • [11] jim from NJ March 04, 2008 - 10:41AM

    Is there a limit to the number of times this benefit can be taken advantage of? ie 1 time every 2 years, etc?

    As the US population ages, I could imagine needing to take advantage of this much more frequently than past and current experience indicates.

    If the costs of the program exceeds the projected costs, what happens?
  • [12] adf March 04, 2008 - 10:43AM

    call me a communist but getting excited over this limited amount of support for humans outside work is embarrassing.

    we had 6 wks full salary and 3 wks half salary from a corporation that offered this deal as a benefit (for a newborn) and felt the above sentiment after watching Moore's "Sicko." In that film of course it contrasts US w 6-24 months for parents in other countries.
  • [13] Trish from Manhattan March 04, 2008 - 10:44AM

    It's a small step, but well worth it! We really need some Federal compensation for both family leave AND some support for childcare to allow parents to work.
  • [14] Joan from Williamsburg March 04, 2008 - 10:45AM

    Also, $530 is more per week than you make after taxes in a 38K/yr job. There are LOTS of people who live on less.
  • [15] Cheryl from New London March 04, 2008 - 10:46AM

    NYS will never see this. Go NJ Go!
  • [16] Mariana Kind from Jersey City March 04, 2008 - 10:46AM

    1. how would this work with federal leave and shortterm disability (STD)?

    STD gives you a higher max than the ~$500 in this proposal.

    2. does it apply to people who live in NJ, but work in NY?
  • [17] LVK from All over the place March 04, 2008 - 11:01AM

    Wow, What a great way for unscrupulous, low paying employers to off set their payroll with their barely legal employees. We just have to get used to the fact that NJ-941/500 compliance and numerous taxes aren't enough to make payroll administration a nightmare, we need one more tax and deduction. Otherwise this is great; It will have to create another Trenton bureaucracy to distribute these monitor and distribute these payments thereby securing at least government employment in New Jersey!
  • [18] Claire from Athens, NY March 04, 2008 - 11:58AM

    This spring I gave birth to my son at 30 weeks gestational age--about two and a half months early. He was in a neonatal intensive care unit for just over 6 weeks. Fortunately, as a union employee, I was granted disability payments during that time. I can't imagine how much more difficult an already difficult situation would have been for me had I not had this support, and I wouldn't want any worker to ever be without it. A maximum of $33 per employee per year seems a nominal amount of money to insure that people like me receive financial support and time to care for a loved one, and it's an amount I would gladly pay for my coworkers to enjoy the same benefit.


  • [19] Conrad from Manhattan, Eastside Midtown March 05, 2008 - 12:16AM

    Loretta, I am a Canadian living in New York and from Western Canada (though not Alberta) and Ontario is not thriving; it is on the verge of a recession and an economic behemoth on the ROC (Rest of Canada excluding Quebec) second only to Quebec.

This thread is closed.


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