VSEA Lobbying For Main Street Alliance’s Proposal On Paid Family Leave

January 25, 2019

January 25, 2019

Thanks to negotiated contract language, VSEA members already are eligible to request paid, federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) benefits if needed, but now Vermont is engaged in a renewed debate about offering FMLA benefits to all Vermonters, and there are currently two proposals on the table at the State House to accomplish the task.
 
State of Vermont’s FMLA Proposal

  • Pool Vermont and New Hampshire state employees into one collective body of 18,000+ workers to sustain the plan (the State would cover any employee payroll tax). Officials wanted the set pool because they feared making the proposal voluntary was far too risky and most likely would not work; and

 
Main Street Alliance’s Proposal (VSEA Supported)

  • A coalition of Vermont small businesses, calling itself the Main Street Alliance—and including VSEA—is proposing an across-the-board payroll tax to sustain its FMLA plan. The group’s proposal passed in the legislature last year but was vetoed by the Governor. Supporters of the proposal hope a veto override might be possible this session.

 
FMLA Proposal Comparison:

  State’s Proposal    Main St. Alliance Proposal
Benefit Cost Free to State Employees    0.465% Payroll Tax
Wage Replacement 60% Up to $63.89 (SSI Tax Cap) 100% up to $26.06 (2x JFO Wage)
Benefit Duration     6 Weeks (Half FMLA) 12 weeks (Full FMLA)

Note: Currently, there are 3,000 Vermont state employees who lack six weeks of leave accruals, and a vast majority lack twelve weeks of leave accruals.

 

 

 

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