Report predicts Ohio sick leave mandate would cost $1.17b

Ohio's proposed sick leave mandate is projected to cost employers $1.17 billion and result in 75,000 lost jobs over five years, according to a study released by the National Federation for Independent Business. The proposed mandate would require employers with 25 or more employees to provide up to seven days of paid sick leave annually for employees working 30 or more hours a week and a prorated amount for employees working fewer hours. When legislation (HB 536) to pass the mandate failed, the Ohioans for Healthy Families Coalition succeeded in securing enough signatures to add the initiative to the November ballot. The federation predicts the cost to employers would come from not only the paid time off itself, but also from lost sales, increased employment taxes and additional administrative and recordkeeping costs. The report also predicts that major job losses will occur in labor intensive sectors such as food services, restaurants and bars, and general retail trade.  (Select News, 26 Aug 2008)

• Full text of report (NFIB, 19 Aug 2008)
• Ohio paid sick leave initiative may be on the November ballot (19 Jun 2008) 
• Full text of HB 536 (Ohio legislature)

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