...the act allows workers to take as many as 12 weeks of unpaid leave to care for a newborn or a sick child, spouse or parent, or to recuperate from their own serious medical condition -- without fear of losing their job. Many say it helps avoid costly nursing-home or other institutional stays and lowers turnover costs by helping to retain workers. As many as 13 million workers took FMLA leave in 2005, according to the Department of Labor, the latest data available.
Yet employers and workers are increasingly accusing each other of abusing the law, which dates from 1993. Companies say more workers are using it to take time off for vague and chronic maladies and doing so intermittently [6.1 million], rather than in blocks of time, which makes scheduling and staffing difficult. Many of them have begun to clamp down on employees, hiring outsiders to screen applications for leave and at times to videotape workers to make sure they aren't moonlighting or vacationing.
Friday, November 30, 2007
Are employees abusing Family Leave rules?
From the Wall St. Journal
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This policy increases the cost of employees, especially for small companies who cannot diversify an absent employee. Even in large companies, individuals may be part of a small operational group where their labor is necessary.
ReplyDeleteCanceling this law would increase wages, decrease unemployment, and reduce legal disputes.
This is just another dumb law by socialist politicians who don't understand incentives and human nature.
On the flip side, companies with great corporate culture will have a competitive advantage as fewer of their employees would take advantage of this.