https://coloradosun.com/2020/09/09/paid-family-leave-ballot-measure/

Good Morning, Colorado, and welcome to the Daily Sun-Up. It’s Friday September 11th, and we’re feeling lucky to start the day with you. Monday through Friday we’re sharing an in-depth look at one of our top stories, followed by a quick summary of important things happening in our state. Today our focus is on the family-leave proposal; Proposition 118. 

But before we begin, let’s go back in time with some Colorado history adapted from historian Derek R Everett’s book “Colorado Day by Day”:

Today, we take you back to September 11th 1957 when a plutonium fire at the Rocky Flats nuclear weapons plant in northern Jefferson County threatened to spread radiation over to the Denver area. 

There were even bigger fires in the following years, which, combined with the rise of environmentalism, led to large protests against the plant. Finally in 1992, after an FBI investigation and the end of the Cold War the plant closed.

Now, our feature story. 

About 35,000 workers in New Jersey are taking paid time off each year under the state’s paid family leave law.

In Washington, state officials launched a paid-leave program in January, and demand was so high that it caught them off guard. 

As Colorado prepares to vote in November on whether to create its own paid-leave program, it can look to lessons learned in the first states to begin the programs themselves.

None of the states’ programs are an exact match to the Colorado proposal, which borrowed ideas from across the country and used a blueprint created last year by a bipartisan task force. 

So let’s take a closer look at the question on the ballot, Proposition 118:

 
First, it would give workers up to 12 weeks of paid time off to care for a new baby or adopted child, recover from an illness, or take care of a relative. 

 
Second, it would require employers and employees to contribute part of the employee’s wage into a statewide fund.
Third, it would allow workers to receive a percentage of their salary while they take time off.
And forth, it would allow employers to purchase paid-leave insurance on the private market instead of through the state program.

 

 

Here’s Colorado Sun Reporter Jennifer Brown with details on how this would all work.

But there has been some pushback, specifically during the pandemic.

Senior vice president of state and federal relations for the Colorado Chamber of Commerce, and others at the chamber are speaking out against the family leave program, calling it a “new billion-dollar bureaucracy” considering the initiative would create a $1.3 billion program with an estimated 200 employees who would process applications. 

Furman said “This is during the worst economic crisis that Colorado and the nation has ever seen and the proponents of this new tax believe that workers and businesses can afford yet another financial hit during the worst time imaginable,” she said. “What voters need to understand is that if there isn’t enough money to support this billion-dollar program, workers and businesses will get taxed at an even higher amount in future years to keep the program afloat.”

The ballot measure is also getting hit with a perennial question: is it a new tax, disguised as a “contribution?”

The family-leave proposal has already died six years in a row at the Colorado legislature, most recently in May, because of pushback from the business community in the midst of the pandemic. 

So proponents began collecting signatures to get the question on the November ballot. And last week, every Democrat in the state Senate — except for Joann Ginal — endorsed the measure. This led many to question why the Democrats, who hold the majority in both chambers, didn’t just pass the legislation. 

Thanks for listening. Before we go here are a few stories you should know about today:

Colorado is working with federal and local agencies to try to recover nearly $40 million that was wrongly doled out in unemployment benefits due to scammers.

The Colorado health department last month announced a review of ketamine's use almost a year after Elijah McClain's death

A lack of child care prevents moms from getting drug treatment in Colorado, so a first-of-its-kind program will send RVs renovated to be child care classrooms to drug and mental health centers in Denver and the San Luis Valley.

The Colorado Sun will cover the 2020 election -- and we need your help. Visit our website for a deeper look at how our journalists decide what stories to cover and where we plan to focus our attention ahead of November

For more information on all of these stories, visit our website, www.coloradosun.com. 

Right now, you can head to ColoradoSun.com and become a member. Starting at $5 per month for a basic membership and if you bump it up to $20 per month, you’ll get access to our exclusive politics and outdoors newsletters. Thanks for starting your morning with us and don’t forget to tune in again tomorrow.

And remember, The Colorado Sun is non-partisan and completely independent. We're always dedicated to telling the in-depth stories we need today more than ever. So Thanks for starting your morning with us and don’t forget to tune in again on Monday. We also encourage you to rate and review the podcast on Apple Podcasts!

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

<a href="https://coloradosun.com/2020/09/09/paid-family-leave-ballot-measure/">https://coloradosun.com/2020/09/09/paid-family-leave-ballot-measure/</a>
Good Morning, Colorado, and welcome to the Daily Sun-Up. It&rsquo;s Friday September 11th, and we&rsquo;re feeling lucky to start the day with you. Monday through Friday we&rsquo;re sharing an in-depth look at one of our top stories, followed by a quick summary of important things happening in our state. Today our focus is on the family-leave proposal; <a href="https://www.voteyeson118.com/">Proposition 118</a>.&nbsp;
But before we begin, let&rsquo;s go back in time with some Colorado history adapted from historian Derek R Everett&rsquo;s book &ldquo;Colorado Day by Day&rdquo;:
Today, we take you back to September 11th 1957 when a plutonium fire at the Rocky Flats nuclear weapons plant in northern Jefferson County threatened to spread radiation over to the Denver area.&nbsp;
There were even bigger fires in the following years, which, combined with the rise of environmentalism, led to large protests against the plant. Finally in 1992, after an FBI investigation and the end of the Cold War the plant closed.
Now, our feature story.&nbsp;
About 35,000 workers in New Jersey are taking paid time off each year under the state&rsquo;s paid family leave law.
In Washington, state officials launched a paid-leave program in January, and demand was so high that it caught them off guard.&nbsp;
As Colorado prepares to vote in November on whether to create its own paid-leave program, it can look to lessons learned in the first states to begin the programs themselves.
None of the states&rsquo; programs are an exact match to the Colorado proposal, which borrowed ideas from across the country and used a blueprint created last year by a bipartisan task force.&nbsp;
So let&rsquo;s take a closer look at the question on the ballot, <a href="https://www.voteyeson118.com/">Proposition 118</a>:
&nbsp;
<ul>
<li>First, it would give workers up to 12 weeks of paid time off to care for a new baby or adopted child, recover from an illness, or take care of a relative.&nbsp;</li>
</ul>
&nbsp;
<ul>
<li>Second, it would require employers and employees to contribute part of the employee&rsquo;s wage into a statewide fund.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Third, it would allow workers to receive a percentage of their salary while they take time off.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>And forth, it would allow employers to purchase paid-leave insurance on the private market instead of through the state program.</li>
</ul>
&nbsp;
&nbsp;
Here&rsquo;s Colorado Sun Reporter Jennifer Brown with details on how this would all work.
But there has been some pushback, specifically during the pandemic.
Senior vice president of state and federal relations for the Colorado Chamber of Commerce, and others at the chamber are speaking out against the family leave program, calling it a &ldquo;new billion-dollar bureaucracy&rdquo; considering the initiative would create a $1.3 billion program with an estimated 200 employees who would process applications.&nbsp;
Furman said &ldquo;This is during the worst economic crisis that Colorado and the nation has ever seen and the proponents of this new tax believe that workers and businesses can afford yet another financial hit during the worst time imaginable,&rdquo; she said. &ldquo;What voters need to understand is that if there isn&rsquo;t enough money to support this billion-dollar program, workers and businesses will get taxed at an even higher amount in future years to keep the program afloat.&rdquo;
The ballot measure is also getting hit with a perennial question: is it a new tax, disguised as a &ldquo;contribution?&rdquo;
The family-leave proposal has already died six years in a row at the Colorado legislature, most recently in May, because of pushback from the business community in the midst of the pandemic.&nbsp;
So proponents began collecting signatures to get the question on the November ballot. And last week, every Democrat in the state Senate &mdash; except for Joann Ginal &mdash; endorsed the measure. This led many to question why the Democrats, who hold the majority in both chambers, didn&rsquo;t just pass the legislation.&nbsp;
Thanks for listening. Before we go here are a few stories you should know about today:
Colorado is working with federal and local agencies to try to recover nearly $40 million that was wrongly doled out in unemployment benefits due to scammers.
The Colorado health department last month announced a review of ketamine's use almost a year after Elijah McClain's death
A lack of child care prevents moms from getting drug treatment in Colorado, so a first-of-its-kind program will send RVs renovated to be child care classrooms to drug and mental health centers in Denver and the San Luis Valley.
The Colorado Sun will cover the 2020 election -- and we need your help. Visit our website for a deeper look at how our journalists decide what stories to cover and where we plan to focus our attention ahead of November
For more information on all of these stories, visit our website,<a href="http://www.coloradosun.com/"> www.coloradosun.com</a>.&nbsp;
Right now, you can head to ColoradoSun.com and become a member. Starting at $5 per month for a basic membership and if you bump it up to $20 per month, you&rsquo;ll get access to our exclusive politics and outdoors newsletters. Thanks for starting your morning with us and don&rsquo;t forget to tune in again tomorrow.
And remember, The Colorado Sun is non-partisan and completely independent. We're always dedicated to telling the in-depth stories we need today more than ever. So Thanks for starting your morning with us and don&rsquo;t forget to tune in again on Monday. We also encourage you to rate and review the podcast on Apple Podcasts!See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.

Welcome to The Colorado Sun's daily podcast, The Daily Sun-Up. Every day we’re sharing an in-depth look at one of our top stories, followed by a quick summary of important things happening in our state. For more visit us at https://coloradosun.com/.

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