Food and Commercial Workers Urge New Jersey Senate to Pass Paid Leave Bill

Business Wire, June 20, 2007

WASHINGTON -- The United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) is very pleased to unanimously support the adoption of Assembly bill 1529, which would establish a paid Family Medical Leave Act for the state of New Jersey.

Time off would be granted from employment under the proposed legislation for sick leave, family care leave, bereavement leave and vacation or personal holiday leave.

The bill is written in such a manner that it respects the rights of an employer to have a committed workforce, yet establishes paid time off for the essential needs of employees who need to be responsible for family members.

Currently, more than half of all workers have no paid sick leave, and more than one-third of workers have no sick or vacation leave at all. The federal Family and Medical Leave Act guarantees only unpaid leave. As a result, when a new baby arrives, or a medical crisis strikes, many working people are unable to take time off because they can't afford to miss a paycheck. Only two states, California and Washington have enacted paid family leave laws.

Many UFCW contracts already provide paid sick leave and medical leave. This bill will, in part, now level the playing field requiring smaller and non-union employers to also provide paid family medical time off.

The UFCW will be working diligently with our legislators to assist in the passage of this bill. Governor Corzine has also committed to signing the bill, once passed.

UFCW Locals 152, 464A, 1245, 1262, 1360 & RW108 represent more than 70,000 workers in New Jersey. The UFCW was part of a broad coalition that fought for passage of the 1993 federal Family and Medical Leave Act.