By Oregon Farm Bureau,
Two weeks ago, OFB members and friends wrote to their legislators and asked them to oppose HB 3087. HB 3087 would tax employers and workers 0.5% of payroll to fund a paid family leave mandate of 12 weeks. This would cost many family businesses thousands of dollars each year! See Farm Bureau’s comments in opposition to HB 3087.
The good news? Oregon’s family businesses have another option this session, HB 3336! This Tuesday (April 4) at 1:00 PM in Hearing Room D, the House Committee on Early Childhood & Family Supports will hold a public hearing on a bill introduced by Rep. Jodi Hack (R-Salem) to provide a paid family leave option to employees. HB 3336 would create voluntary Family Leave Savings Accounts to cover wages when an employee takes family or medical leave.
HB 3336:
– Applies to employees who qualify for and take OFLA and FMLA
– Is employee-funded and flexible–allows an individual or couple to create accounts which can be used to cover wages
– Provides a carrot to small businesses–incentivizes contributions by employers and others who contribute to an employee’s Family Leave Savings Account through a tax credit
Family farmers cannot afford a new mandate, but HB 3336 would provide a mechanism to help workers cover their wages when they take family and medical leave.
Disclaimer: Articles featured on Oregon Report are the creation, responsibility and opinion of the authoring individual or organization which is featured at the top of every article.