Left-leaning groups are urging Joe Biden to expand paid family and sick leave. However, Conservative policy analysts and economists warn their proposal comes with a steep price tag.
Democrats are pushing for a high quality paid family leave system that provides at least 12 weeks of paid family and medical leave for all workers. Plus universal, pre-k programs. Conservatives say the federal government can't afford it, and the proposals would include new payroll taxes for everyone. Policy expert Cameron Sholty, with the Heartland Institute, says it’s bad for small businesses.
“If you lay a mandate like this, especially a permanent mandate across them, it’s only going to exacerbate the challenges that they’re already going through, facing the pandemic and arbitrary government shutdowns," Sholty said.
He argues the state government can better address paid leave, rather than a one-size-fits-all law from Washington.