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What I've Been Reading This Week


Another short week with work travel has left me less time that I would have liked t read through articles.  Although the update on the approval of D.C.'s new family leave plan is paramount in so much as it may lead to other cities adopting a similar measure.  Time will tell, but this is certainly a major 'win' for advocates of a more comprehensive family leave plan in the U.S. (similar to the rather generous family leave plans offered to employees in other countries, often throughout Europe).

As always, below are a couple articles that caught my eye this week.


D.C. Approves Broad Family Leave Plan

In late December, the D.C. City Council approved by a 9 - 4 vote one of the more expansive family leave plans in recent memory.  (Readers might recall that the plan was granted preliminary approval in early December.)  As Alison Thoet over at NPR writes, under the approved measure, the Universal Paid-Leave Amendment Act will give 8 weeks of leave to new parents, six weeks of leave to care for a gravely ill family member, and two weeks of leave for personal sick leave.  For those wondering, this leave plan will be funded by a new business tax that is expected to raise $250 million a year to cover costs.


Nationwide Protests Occur Ahead of Labor Nominee Andy Puzder's Confirmation Hearings

Readers will likely remember that President-elect Donald Trump nominated CKE Restaurant Holdings CEO Andy Puzder to be the new Labor Secretary.   After the nomination was announced, several pro-employee groups and foundations spoke out against the nomination on the grounds that Puzder's prior comments indicated that he would not be employee friendly (or at least not as much as current Labor Secretary Tom Perez).  Ahead of Puzder's confirmation hearings next week, KXAN reported that protests have popped up around the country as pro-employee groups (& many hourly workers) have started to voice their concern over Puzder's nomination.  Will it be enough to impact the confirmation hearings?   Probably not, at least for the time being.

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