WRA responds to passage ... - Washington Restaurant Association

September 13, 2011

The WRA is among multiple business organizations that have responded to Monday?s passage of Seattle?s paid sick leave ordinance by the City Council.? While the business community strongly supports workers staying home when they are ill, there is a collective concern regarding how the new mandate will impact businesses and employees.

?Businesses throughout the city tried to work with the proponents and councilmembers to draft language we could make workable in restaurants. Unfortunately, much of what we put on the table was rejected,? said Josh McDonald with the Seattle Restaurant Alliance. ?The restaurant industry continues to struggle in this economy; this ordinance could make it even harder on them. We just don?t know.?
Of specific concern is the tiering of businesses within the new law. Small businesses will be required to provide only three days leave, but larger business will be mandated to provide up to nine. ?If this is really about public health, why are we giving more leave to some workers, and less to others? Why not have all businesses be required to provide the same number of sick days to their employees?? said McDonald.

The Greater Seattle Chamber of Commerce, the Seattle Restaurant Alliance, the Northwest Grocery Association, and other local chambers and businesses attempted to modify the ordinance so they could provide sick leave in an affordable, workable way.
Holly Chisa, representing the Northwest Grocery Association, is concerned with the new law?s effect on employers currently providing a sick leave benefit to their employees. ?Grocery stores already provide comprehensive sick leave to our employees, and health care coverage to see the doctor. This new ordinance will require additional benefits on top of what is already offered to our workers through the union contract. It?s going to hit grocers twice, even though they were already providing leave to their workers.?

?In the rush to legislate, we have lost an opportunity to craft workable legislation that is fair to all and protects public health,? said George Allen, senior vice president of government relations for the Greater Seattle Chamber of Commerce. ?Instead, we have a bureaucratic and costly mandate that is confusing to employers and employers. Plus, we know that when we mandate something, other benefits are taken away. There?s no credit for what employers are already doing to ensure the health of their employees and the public.?
Even as the Seattle City Council passed the ordinance today, businesses are committed to working with the Council to implement the new requirements and make changes as needed. All agreed, ?We?re pleased to see that the Council did make some changes to the law to make it more manageable for businesses, but there is still work to do. We appreciate the inclusion of the review economic study so we can revisit this issue. Clearly there will need to be changes made to the law in the future as business learn what works and what doesn?t under the new mandate.?
The new law takes effect in 2012, but businesses are already working to determine next steps.

?Joint statement from coalition

Source: http://www.wrahome.com/news/wra-responds-to-passage-seattles-paid-sick-leave-measure/

fsi fsi dunkin donuts toy toy abacus abacus