Councilwoman Alison Deeb hits the pavement to repeal sick pay ordinance

Councilwoman Alison Deeb, right, presents petition to residents on line for a Small Business Saturday promotion. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
Councilwoman Alison Deeb, right, presents petition to residents on line for a Small Business Saturday promotion. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
4
Councilwoman Alison Deeb, right, presents petition to residents on line for a Small Business Saturday promotion. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
Councilwoman Alison Deeb, right, presents petition to residents in line for a Small Business Saturday promotion. Photo by Kevin Coughlin

By Kevin Coughlin

Small Business Saturday aims to offer shoppers great deals, close to home.

But Morristown Councilwoman Alison Deeb spent the day trying to overturn what she considers a bad deal for local businesses:  A town ordinance requiring local employers to provide earned paid sick time for workers.

“I am not against paid sick leave. But let businesses decide,” Deeb said on Saturday morning, distributing petitions to people queued outside the Morristown Partnership office waiting to buy discounted “Shop Local” gift certificates.

Councilwoman Alison Deeb outside Morristown Partnership promotion. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
Councilwoman Alison Deeb outside Morristown Partnership promotion. Photo by Kevin Coughlin

Deeb, one of two Republicans on the council, cast the lone dissenting vote in September when the governing body made Morristown the state’s 13th municipality–and first in Morris County–to mandate sick pay. She wants to repeal the ordinance.

Mayor Tim Dougherty, who supports the measure, signed an executive order delaying its implementation until Jan. 11, 2017, to give employers more time to prepare.

The law enables private-sector workers to earn one hour of sick time for every 30 hours worked. Workers in businesses with 10 or more employees can earn five paid sick days per year; those in businesses with nine or fewer employees can earn three paid sick days per year.

Morristown Council President Stefan Armington. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
Morristown Council President Stefan Armington. Photo by Kevin Coughlin

Food service and healthcare workers can earn five sick days regardless of company size, for public health reasons. Employees may use sick days to care for themselves or their sick children, siblings, parents, grandparents or grandchildren.

Advocates say the law will curb the spread of illnesses and produce healthier, more productive workers.

Deeb said it may kill struggling businesses or drive them from town. And she questions how county health officers, contracted by the town, will police the ordinance.

Four downtown establishments signed her petition on Saturday, she said.

Deeb distributed literature from an organization called the Morris County Business Council, which she said was organized by Richard Lindner, a Morristown resident who said he owns businesses in Randolph and Europe.

Morristown’s ordinance was “shuttled in by a socialist group out of Newark,” said Lindner, referring to the measure’s sponsor, New Jersey Working Families.

He described his organization as a coalition of business owners who help businesses resolve problems with local government; an employment attorney is assisting with this one, he said.

“In most cases it is just a misunderstanding amongst the parties, and a third party can be very productive,” Lindner said via email. “Alison has been very supportive of the repeal effort and just about any business or person I discuss this with can’t believe it happened in the first place.”

Council President Stefan Armington said he is unaware of any petition process for reversing council actions.

“If she had made this effort when the bill was being introduced and adopted, it would have been very helpful with council deliberations, but I don’t see how helpful it is after the fact,” Armington said of the councilwoman.

Mayor Dougherty said the ordinance was debated and vetted by the council.

“Businesses were notified by the Partnership,” Dougherty said, “and all the studies show it benefits the small businesses.”

 

4 COMMENTS

  1. Always a way to correct a mistake. This was jammed down business owners throats in 30 days between AUGUST AND September. There was no vetting except for the meeting where there was not good business representation, just activist representation. If most businesses disagree, the premises are dubious and the process was flawed then what should Armington decide to do? Paid sick leave is a great benefit but not possible for every part time or seasonal job, ruins the core of the part time relationship which is flexibility.

LEAVE A REPLY