NH Political Thread. For Discussion of NH Politics. (Manchester, Concord: sales, credit rating)

[Valerie C]

Thank you greenmartian. That's a great description of New Hampshire

Originally Posted by greenmartian

JWe do not like authoritarian socialists/nanny staters or authoritarian bible thumper types who try to use our state and local governments to push their agendas on us.

We want to be left alone to live our lives without anybody pushing their crap on us.

[Positiveone]

Thanks for the info! Sounds exactly how i would like it to be. Many were telling me the liberals were destroying the old NH feel.

Originally Posted by greenmartian

Just be aware that NH is more libertarian than conservative.

The roots of the state politically are in a cranky "leave me alone" kind of freedom not in a socially conservative one. NH is an odd state in that sense. The traditional "liberal" versus "conservative" breakdown that applies in other states is not necessarily accurate here.

We do not like authoritarian socialists/nanny staters or authoritarian bible thumper types who try to use our state and local governments to push their agendas on us.

We want to be left alone to live our lives without anybody pushing their crap on us.

[sgthoskins]

Originally Posted by Positiveone

Many were telling me the liberals were destroying the old NH feel.

They are trying, but there are many like Greenmartian and me who are doing everything they can to stop the socialist movement.

[nicolem]

How much more unfriendly to business are these wackos in the state house going to be? Now they want to make an employer have to provide 5 sick days? I really hope the people who voted in these interfering control freaks wake up in 2010.

Fosters.com - Dover NH, Rochester NH, Portsmouth NH, Laconia NH, Sanford ME

[BF66389]

Originally Posted by nicolem

How much more unfriendly to business are these wackos in the state house going to be? Now they want to make an employer have to provide 5 sick days? I really hope the people who voted in these interfering control freaks wake up in 2010.

Is this in response to the increased potential of a pandemic or just a "hey, wouldn't it be nice if everyone had sick days"?

If in response to a Pandemic it makes a lot of economic/emergency management perspective it makes a lot of sense since it increases the #1 way to combat the pandemic (minimize exposure)... of course that also relies on it not just being a "yay we have sick leave" effort and indeed being a infectious disease management tool instead .

[nicolem]

Originally Posted by BF66389

Is this in response to the increased potential of a pandemic or just a "hey, wouldn't it be nice if everyone had sick days"?

If in response to a Pandemic it makes a lot of economic/emergency management perspective it makes a lot of sense since it increases the #1 way to combat the pandemic (minimize exposure)... of course that also relies on it not just being a "yay we have sick leave" effort and indeed being a infectious disease management tool instead .

It is not right for government to force this on a business-regardless of the reason. This is just another hardship being placed on businesses in this state-especially small business as this bill includes companies with as little as 10 employees.

[BF66389]

Originally Posted by nicolem

It is not right for government to force this on a business-regardless of the reason. This is just another hardship being placed on businesses in this state-especially small business as this bill includes companies with as little as 10 employees.

Not arguing if it is correct or not. Smart employers learn very quickly that having sick leave options is a good idea (ask me about the week I had less than 50% staffing because a few employees came to work with a particularly nasty flu the week before rather than take the financial hit); and that's incentive enough in my opinion. We ended up giving sick days the next year by exception. During our worst period of sick time we had less than 10% of our folks out since folks who were really sick stayed home (or we went those who showed up sick home).

I am wondering what the motivation behind it is though...

[nicolem]

Originally Posted by BF66389

Not arguing if it is correct or not. Smart employers learn very quickly that having sick leave options is a good idea (ask me about the week I had less than 50% staffing because a few employees came to work with a particularly nasty flu the week before rather than take the financial hit); and that's incentive enough in my opinion.

I am wondering what the motivation behind it is though...

Yes-smart employers will have a plan-my husband's company is already working on work at home options among other ideas. To me this is about government control because according to the article this was first mentioned in a "family task force" in fall 2007-before the Swine flu outbreak. It is now being revivied and I guess they expect the Swine Flu hysteria to help give it some momentum.

[sgthoskins]

Originally Posted by BF66389

I am wondering what the motivation behind it is though...

The motivation is simple. Give workers more rights than the private business owner.

I don't ever recall hearing a story of someone being jumped on the street by gunpoint and being forced to work for someone that didn't offer sick time.

[GregW]

They might not be forced to work for a cheapskate employer at gunpoint but by simple poverty and lack of alternate employers. Providing a few days of paid sick leave will not break any employer and might actually improve productivity.

If I were working for such and employer and was coming down with some nasty flu I would show up because I needed the money and I like to share misery.