Legislative Updates & Agenda for 2010

WORK AND FAMILY ECONOMIC SUSTAINABILITY INITIATIVE: UPDATES

HB 661-FN, relative to family leave insurance. REFER FOR INTERIM STUDY.
Rep. Jill Shaffer Hammond for Commerce and Consumer Affairs: This bill sought to establish the framework for family and medical leave insurance, contingent on passage of federal funding that would pay for start-up, administrative, and benefits for the first 6 months of such a program. The original bill clearly outlined the eligibility and structure for benefits (approximately $253 per week for 6 weeks of family or medical leave) under the program, which would be administered by the department of employment security. Vote 16-0. 1/6/10: Bill referred to Interim Study by full House (Voice Vote).
Update: The Interim Study Committee is meeting and an actuarial analysis of HB 661 will be conducted before the bill is reintroduced in 2011.

HB 662-FN, relative to paid sick leave for employees. REFER FOR INTERIM STUDY.
Rep. John Knowles for Labor, Industrial and Rehabilitative Services: This bill has several important goals. It would advance public health by enabling sick employees to stay out of the workplace, which would reduce the spread of disease to fellow employees and to customers. It would be financially advantageous to employers, since it would limit unproductive workers from coming in and then spreading disease to others, which then makes them unproductive as well. And of course it enables employees to treat their illnesses without also suffering a financial loss, which many can ill afford. However, while the purposes of the bill are valid, the timing is not right. The majority of the committee felt that in these dire economic times it would be better to put off even these valuable goals and study further the possible impact on various areas of our economy. Vote 9-8.
1/13/10: Bill referred to Interim Study by full House.
Update: The Interim Study Committee has been formed and will begin meeting this fall.

HB 663-FN, relative to working families' flexibility. REFER FOR INTERIM STUDY.
Rep. John Knowles for Labor, Industrial and Rehabilitative Services: This bill provides for a procedure whereby an employee and employer can consider a request by the employee for flexibility in working conditions. However, that procedure can be followed now, and since there is no enforcement mechanism in the bill, it does not seem that it would necessarily have the effect desired by the sponsors. The committee felt that this needs to be considered further. Vote 11-2.
1/13/10: Bill referred to Interim Study by full House.

NEW HAMPSHIRE WOMEN'S LOBBY POLICY PRIORITIES FOR 2010

CLICK HERE to view the bills which we supported and opposed during the 2010 legislative session. Please email info@nhwomen.org with any questions, concerns or comments.