Council members, choose your numbers! Two studies have been issued today on the effect of a proposal now in City Council that would require employers to give their worker paid sick leavewould have on the economy — and they will almost certainly do nothing to resolve the issue.
Meanwhile a survey by the Partnership for New York City, a business group, also released today, said any mandatory paid sick leave law would “devastate the city’s construction, restaurant and non-profit sector.” The partnership study was based on responses to a survey of employers on how their businesses might be affected by any such law.
To add to the storm of numbers, paid sick leave advocates later this morning released new numbers which said paid sick leave costs about 39 cents per employee hour worked, The advocates also questioned the methodology of the partnership study and charged the group misstated the requirements of the bill, particularly with regard to workers who already get paid sick leave.
It reiterated what it sees as the need for the requirement, saying than many low paid and service industry workers do not get sick leave.
The paid sick leave measure, sponsored by Councilmember Gale Brewer, was introduced last year. But Council Speaker Christine Quinn never let it come to the floor. Brewer and other members, along with the Working Families Party, then put forth a revised version this year. A majority of members have signed on to the bill — the general thinking is,if it, comes to a vote, it will pass. Whether that will happen is up to Quinn.