cOncerneD

Increasing cost of accrued Leave >

It appears that the proposed policy would permit paid sick leave to carry over from year to year. And it's unclear whether employers could limit either (a) the total number of sick leave days an employee can accumulate, or (b) the amount of sick leave an employee can use in any given year. This could result in even higher sick leave costs for employers. For example: Leave that might have been paid at $8/hour in 2008 might have to be paid at $9/hour in 2009 (if it is carried over from one year to the next).

ripe for abuse by employees >

Under the Act, sick leave days can be used for any absence due to "physical illness, injury or medical condition? or for absence related to "obtaining a medical diagnosis or preventative medical care? - not only for the employee, but also for his or her spouse, children, parents and in-laws. The leave can be taken in one-hour increments (or less, if the company allows employees to take other kinds of leave in less than one-hour increments). A verbal request by the employee is sufficient. With foreseeable leave, seven days' notice is required; however, if the leave is not foreseeable, the employee is required only to give notice "as soon as practicable.? Employers can only require medical documentation if the absence is more than three consecutive scheduled work days. Employers also would be prohibited from disciplining employees for use of paid sick leave, even under a no-fault attendance policy. Under most circumstances, employees would be able to call off work at the last minute, receive pay and avoid any form of discipline. This would hamper planning, disrupt production and place an added burden on conscientious, hardworking employees. In order to protect against quality and safety problems caused by unscheduled absences, employers would have to create a contingent pool of trained employees - driving up costs and undermining competitiveness - or, in some economic circumstances, would have to shut down production totally.

Invitation to abuse

June 2009 A full-time employee with seven available paid sick days (56 hours) could leave work an hour early every Friday for a year, or could leave work at noon for 14 Friday afternoons in the summer claiming to be "sick? - and avoid any form of discipline, including counseling. www.ohiomfg.com July 08 pg5

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outlookmandatory paid sick leave: cturing & ohiohere's why concerned this matter is urgent: fax to (614) 224-1012