Ordinance could force cuts to benefits, bonuses

PAID SICK leave is a good thing, isn’t it? I agree, but the Healthy Workforce Ordinance is … not a good thing. … It sounds good on the surface because sick leave is important and businesses that don’t offer it absolutely should. Restaurants don’t tend to survive when their workers are serving up food with a side of the flu. We all do better when employees are well cared for. But this new law doesn’t take care of Albuquerque’s workers. It is a one-size-fits-all approach. …

If this ordinance is passed, it will negatively impact every business in our city: small, large, private and even nonprofits. Almost without exception, every single company in Albuquerque will have to rework their time-off policies to be in compliance. That might mean offering more sick leave, but it will also mean cutting other benefits such as vacation or bonuses.

At TLC, our purpose is to improve the quality of life for our employees and the community as a whole. We were voted best places to work because we care about our employees and take care of them. This policy impedes our ability to do so. … Hard workers who have earned additional days off, or other rewards, will likely see those advantages disappear. …

Not only that, but because of the way the law is written, companies would be required to record and book the expenses in a manner that seriously impacts our state taxes. All companies will suffer serious economic impacts, limiting resources that have historically been used to reward employees and foster growth. This means fewer resources for our state: less money for teachers and schools, and less money for public programs — all of this in an already tight economy. …

Albuquerque isn’t perfect, but we need to work together to solve our problems. This law doesn’t do that. We know, because it was not written in Albuquerque. In fact, it is a duplicate of a law that was just proposed in Denver. Voters there shut it down because it was not written for their city, either. It was written by special-interest lawyers from the East Coast and is being promoted with money from out of state. … This is a bad deal for Albuquerque. … I encourage you to stand with your community and vote NO on the Healthy Workforce Ordinance; the health of our workers and economy depends on it. DALE ARMSTRONG TLC Plumbing and Utility