U.S. Family-Oriented Job Policies Weak

Cat Herder · Understander of unimportant things

U.S. Family-Oriented Job Policies Weak

arbilad · Head Chef

I found myself strongly disagreeing with the article. The government should not be setting those policies. As Jason has many times pointed out, the government already saddles businesses with tons of regulations. But guaranteeing that you get paid sick time? Give me a break. I have felt the economic effects of being sick and not having paid sick time. I understand that it sucks. But I don't want the government guaranteeing it.

Pt314 · Senior Member

Michael Medved on one of his recent shows was really upset about a similar paid-sick leave policy voted on somewhere. He stated that it is a way of encouraging not to work, by making the people who don't use the sick leave feel like suckers. I think it's Sweden where a similar policy has led to 1/6th of eligible workers not working, and getting paid anyway (So called payed disability leave).

salesortonscom · Wise and Revered Master

Oh don't get me started. The Euros are kings at requiring employers to give all sorts of entitlements to their employees and look at how great their economy is! Do American workers really have it that bad? Come on, just read some Charles Dickens or Upton Sinclair and you will see what really bad working conditions are. I really enjoy listening to politicians complaining how NAFTA is causing businesses to leave the U.S. and then they turn around and want to pass these social entitlements. It's simple cause and effect folks. My brother in law gets a couple weeks of sick leave from the bank he works for and if he doesn't take it he loses it so he calls in sick when he is not and takes the day off. How is that a good thing. As for maternity leave pay, isn't that what disability is for. When my wife was expecting our first child the business she worked for closed down about 3 months before she was scheduled to quit. So she goes into unemployment office they grant her the full unemployment until she has the baby because they said no one will hire a pregnant woman. Then as soon as she had the baby she got 6 weeks of disability pay even though she had no intention whatsoever of looking for another job. She ended up getting paid for over 4.5 months doing nothing. How does that make sense.

I don't believe anyone should be forced to face the potential for ruin like they did in the 19 century work place but come on. This is rediculous. This isn't a nanny state, is it? This will really help us be competitive with other countries? What a joke but it will probably pass, if not this go around then the next while we sit back watching them erode our personal freedoms in exchange for more "benefits".

Next time ask me to share my real feelings on this!