NYC could be first city to mandate paid personal time, and it's sparking debate
In January, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio announced his push to make New York City the first city in the United States to mandate paid personal time. While his plan awaits going before City Council, the agenda is resonating with workers, many of whom have found themselves struggling to survive financially. At present, more than 500,000 New Yorkers have no paid time off.
In his January announcement, de Blasio said that he would pursue local legislation that would require private employers with five or more employees to offer 10 annual days of Paid Personal Time, allowing employees to take paid time off for any purpose, including vacation, religious observances, bereavement and time with family.
If approved, de Blasio’s legislation’s would guarantee this time off for approximately 3.4 million New Yorkers.
That said, not everyone is keen on the push for paid personal leave. The Associated Press spoke with small business owners who are fighting back against this pressure, saying paid vacation would exacerbate the financial pressures that come with minimum wage increases and paid sick leave requirements.
Dawn Casale, the founder of Brooklyn bakery One Girl Cookies, has three retail shops and about 40 employees. She says her employees get paid time off after five years, or if they’re managers. Others can arrange unpaid vacation. While she told the AP that she’s not against the mayor’s proposal, Casale says she thinks the city needs to assist small businesses in order for them to make ends meet. This could be done, for example, by helping them negotiate health insurance as a group.
According to the Federal Bureau of Labor Statistics, about three-quarters of private-sector workers had paid leave as of 2017.
“Workers across the nation have been working too hard without enough time to rest and recharge or enough time for family and important life events. Every other major nation recognizes the necessity of Paid Personal Time. We as a country must get there, and New York City will lead the way,” said de Blasio. “To be the fairest big city in America, New Yorkers can’t be forced to choose between bringing home a paycheck and taking time off to just disconnect or spend time with loved ones — that choice ends with Paid Personal Time. I look forward to working with Council Speaker Corey Johnson and the rest of City Council on this important piece of legislation.”
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