Passaic has become another city that’s taken the leap of passing an ordinance that mandates employers offer employees paid sick time.
Newark and Jersey City have recently done the same thing – and there’s a push to implement the policy statewide.

Some employers haven’t needed to be prodded into giving sick time. They report that employee morale is higher when they’re able to take a paid day off to attend to a sick loved – or to attend to themselves should they become sick – instead of going to work and losing the day.

Makes sense.

And were I an employer, I’d probably offer the same. That is, if I could trust that the time used would be for the stated purpose.
Not every employer feels the same.

Many are concerned that should they be forced to offer paid sick time, that it would be abused; and would cost them more in the long run to try and find someone to take the place of the “sick” employee.

Good point.

So on one hand, it makes sense – and as a business person, it’s something I’d implement on my own.
Again, I say “on my own!” If I want to bear the cost.

Not every business can afford to do the same – or may not want to. And in an economy where the unemployment rate is the highest in the region - it's not prudent for businesses to be mandated to do so.

Given the nature of the economy and our need to create jobs in the state, Senator Bramnick has a point.

That is: ““If we’re going to create jobs and grow our economy, we have to stop blocking the way with costly mandates.”

I’ll bear the cost if I see a benefit. Better morale, healthier employees. That’s up to me to decide.

But please, don’t tell me that I must do so.

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