GST Testified Against the SB 1 State-Run Mandatory Family and Medical Leave insurance Plan.
Click here for copy of Granite State Taxpayers testimony about SB1.
Following are pertinent comments from our written testimony.
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Granite State Taxpayers Opposes Mandated State Run Family Medical Leave
SB I MANDATES STATE RUN FAMILY MEDICAL LEAVE INSURANCE ON NEW HAMPSHIRE BUSINESSES
We consider that to mandate and manage such a system is not a proper role of government.
The private sector already can and will provide a better product, cost and quality.
SB 1 creates a new government bureaucracy and cost to the taxpayer.
ADDITIONAL VOLUNTARY FAMILY MEDICAL LEAVE INSURANCE OPTIONS ARE BEING PROPOSED
Businesses are perfectly capable of deciding whether Family and Medical Leave is of value to employees.
A free-market, voluntary system requires no additional state employees or costs to manage.
Family Medical Leave Decisions should be made by employers and employees.
SB 1 grows government, adds regulation and cost, and has the State take over a service currently available, sold and purchased in the private market.
Granite State Taxpayers Opposes Mandated State Run Family Medical Leave
Granite State Taxpayers Opposes SB 1
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The GST position paper cited above made no comment about the funding mechanism included in SB 1.
Our main issue is that the objective of SB 1 is outside the proper role of government.
That said, SB 1 enables the collection by the state of quarterly “premiums” from employers. The bill states:
“Such employers with the obligation to remit have the option of paying some or all of the FMLI premium payments on behalf of employees, …. may …. withhold or divert no greater than 0.5 percent of wages per week per employee to satisfy this paragraph.”
Requiring payment of a percentage of earnings to the state is clearly a tax on income.
GST has issued the following a statement to clarify it’s opposition to SB1 and it’s funding mechanism:
Granite State Taxpayers Opposes SB 1 and Mandated State-Run Family Medical Leave Insurance.
Family Medical Leave decisions should be made by employers and employees in the free market.
We oppose SB 1 because it grows government, adds regulation and cost, and has the State take over a service currently available, sold and purchased in the private market.
SB 1 authorizes the state to collect a percentage of workers’ income.
Whether you call it a payroll tax, a premium, an income tax or withholding, it is forced government mandated insurance. We oppose it.
Click here to find your Legislators. Tell them to vote against SB1!