Narrow Vote on Parental-Leave Bill Shows It Raises More Worries Than Solves

CONTACT: Tony Gagliardi, 303-325-6243 or Tony Malandra, 415-664-9685

NFIB/Colorado remains steadfast in its opposition to needlessly costly regulation

DENVER, Colo. -- The one-vote margin by which the parental leave bill passed its first legislative hurdle yesterday in the Colorado House Education Committee says more about the doubt surrounding it than any momentum supporters could claim is building, the state's leading small business association charged today.

"Whatever the eventual outcome of this proposal, it will always serve as a shining example of a solution in search of a problem," said Tony Gagliardi, Colorado state director for the National Federation of Independent Business. "Just as with proposals for sick leave, employers have always accommodated the health and education requests of employees. For the state to attempt to mandate either would only lead to more costs in replacement labor, more paperwork, and possibly less time for employees to achieve what they want because they and their management would have to funnel requests through restrictive regulations."

Originally, House Bill 1057 would have forced businesses with 10 employees or more to grant up to 40 hours of leave per academic year for parents wanting to spend more time with their children's high school and elementary school events. After it met with justifiably expected opposition, the measure's author, state Rep. Andy Kerr, reduced the scope of his proposal to 18 hours and made it applicable to businesses with 50 or more workers. Other modifications included limiting the time off to parent-teacher conferences, dropout prevention, special education, and attendance, truancy, and disciplinary matters.

Kerr then declared victory when he got a few business groups to change their opposition stance to neutral. "NFIB will remain opposed to this bill and will work for its defeat," said Gagliardi. "Leave-taking is already managed and allowed by more than 96 percent of our small business members. A one-size-fits-all state law is not needed, and if truth be told, we'd like to see a show of hands from any legislator who saw lack of parental-leave time as an issue with anybody on the campaign trail. House Bill 1057 is a confection cooked up in the kitchens of advocacy groups and not a response to a real problem out in the real world."

The bill's next step is for a vote by the entire Colorado House of Representatives.