04/15/2008
CONTACT: Mandy Minick, 614-221-4107
Ohioans to Protect Jobs testifies against proposal in Ohio House Committee
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- A representative from Ohioans to Protect Jobs testified today in the Ohio House Commerce and Labor Committee against the proposed paid sick leave initiative, saying that it is another costly and burdensome mandate that, if enacted, will cost Ohioans' jobs and make the state one of the least business friendly in the nation.
In his testimony, Fred Mills, counsel to Ohioans to Protect Jobs, said the proposal is technically and administratively deficient with regard to employees' and employers' rights and responsibilities. "There is no doubt that these ambiguities will lead to uncertainty and to litigation. Litigation does not create jobs -- except for lawyers," said Mills.
"If you are looking for a way to sour our economy even more than it already is, drive jobs out of our state, stifle entrepreneurship and thwart growth, this is a fantastic way to do it," said Ty Pine, chair of Ohioans to Protect Jobs. "If this measure becomes law, Ohio will be the only place in the entire country, with the exception of the city of San Francisco, to enact such an inflexible and burdensome mandate."
"At the end of the day, employees and employers should be treated with enough respect to allow them to work out an employment scenario that suits both parties involved," said Pine. "Every Ohioan with a job today, or who will be looking for a job in the future, should be concerned as this proposal robs them of the opportunity to negotiate their compensation package or select an employer who offers a package that meets their own needs and preferences. This proposal will create an atmosphere where employees have less access to vacation days, healthcare benefits, higher wages and even fewer job opportunities."
