I’ve run a small law practice here in Connecticut since 2013 and I currently employ two employees. Like any small business in our state, every single person at my business has a significant role and we are all essential. As a small business owner, I see firsthand everyday how my success is inextricably linked to the wellbeing of my staff.
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I’ve run a small law practice here in Connecticut since 2013 and I currently employ two employees. Like any small business in our state, every single person at my business has a significant role and we are all essential. As a small business owner, I see firsthand everyday how my success is inextricably linked to the wellbeing of my staff.
That’s why I joined more than 90 small businesses across the state last year in supporting the passage of one of the strongest paid family and medical leave (PFML) programs in the country, and why I firmly disagree with Greg Bordonaro’s March 9 editorial “Employer concerns about paid family medical leave are real.”
No matter how much we take care of ourselves, we never know when we’ll face an unexpected health crisis. An elderly parent might have an accident and need surgery. A spouse or a loved one may be diagnosed with cancer.
The need to take time away from work to care or recover is inevitable; however, the majority of workers in our state and across the country lack access to even a day of job-protected paid family and medical leave. For small employers, offering a generous paid leave benefit on our own is often too expensive.
Public Act 19-25 creates a PFML system funded solely by employee payroll contributions. Employers like me will contribute $0 into the program. In 2017, a poll by BLS Research & Consulting indicated 77% of small businesses in Connecticut support paid leave legislation that is funded entirely by employees. The law also mirrors legislation previously approved by each of our neighboring states that include businesses of all sizes.
PFML allows small businesses like mine to compete for talent with larger firms and corporations. Research shows that PFML also increases worker retention and productivity, which improves our bottom line. PFML levels the playing field for us to retain our employees, which reduces expensive turnover costs that often amount to one-fifth of a worker’s annual salary.
After more than a decade of PFML in California, the majority of businesses (87%) report no increased costs as a result of the program. Small businesses (those with fewer than 50 employees) in California specifically reported more positive outcomes than large businesses.
Right now, workers at businesses of all sizes need to take time away from work because they’re sick, or need to take care of a loved one. Right now, employers just like me find a way to make these situations work, often right from our own pockets or bottom lines.
Connecticut lawmakers made the right decision in including businesses of all sizes in the state’s new paid family and medical leave program. Rather than focus valuable time and resources on attempts to weaken the law, I encourage businesses to educate their peers on its importance and ensure that all employees and employers are prepared for benefits to begin in 2022.
Carmina Hirsch is the owner and principal of Hirsch Legal LLC, a family and divorce lawyer based in Shelton.
