  Eliminating Alaska's Family Medical Leave Act: Wrong idea, Wrong Economy |
(http://www.akdemocrats.org/gara/120810_note_from_gara.htm).
Dear Neighbors, Maybe I’m missing something -it's happened, believe it or not- but sitting among the draft of the 2011 "Legislative Agenda" items Mayor Sullivan handed out last week (while I was on the road to, ack, back surgery - not a road I'd recommend you travel) was a policy recommendation that surprised me. Alaska has a state family medical leave act that allows Alaskans who have gravely ill relatives, or who've just had a baby, to take a little more time off than the federal Family Medical Leave Act allows. I like it, personally. Alaska's law allows six extra weeks during the first, to be exact, above what federal law allows (more specifics below). The Mayor's "Legislative Agenda" for 2011 seemingly proposes to eliminate the state law as "unnecessary." In fairness to the Mayor, he gets to state his rationale (the mayor's proposal is included in this newsletter) - I don't get to spin it. I missed the meeting where he handed out his legislative agenda, and plan on having a friendly conversation over this once I'm less hobbled. But if legislation to eliminate this state law is filed this year, I'm not going to look too kindly on it. Here's what's at stake. In your favor, I'm going to make this quick, because the doc has asked that I not sit up to type much this week. A Law Worth Protecting Under federal law we all get 12 weeks of unpaid leave to take care of very ill family members, for having the fortune of bringing a baby into this world, or for certain serious medical matters. Alaska state law allows an additional six weeks above this every two years. It's not a major thing - to many of us. It is a major thing if you have a close family member who needs your help with a serious medical condition.
Both laws say that if you take this time off, your boss can't fire you. Or discipline you. Or cut your pay. That's good in my book. The state law applies to public employees in the state of Alaska. I could see an argument for expanding it to employees in private businesses (or larger private businesses?), too. But I have a hard time seeing any need to go the other direction - and eliminate it. In tough economic times, no one wants to be fired for taking time off to care for a loved one. Or to care for a new baby. You'll hear more about this. We've linked a hopefully helpful document summarizing the state law here. We’ve attached the Mayor's proposal and rationale, and wanted this on your radar as legislative agenda items start moving forward. Sometimes folks float ideas out there just to see what the public's reaction is. Sometimes we have second thoughts about our ideas. I hope that's the case here - and hope rolling back Alaska's family medical leave protection is an idea no one pushes this legislative session. Best regards,
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![[signed] Les Gara](http://www.akdemocrats.org/images/signatures/5.jpg)
