Bush vs. Kerry on Employment Issues
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Presidential Candidates Stand Apart on Workplace Issues
Wednesday, October 27, 2004
As the election draws near, voters are looking at two presidential candidates with different views on issues related to the workplace. Here is where they stand on some of these issues.
Balancing Work and Family
President Bush would allow employers to offer compensatory time in lieu of overtime pay. Under current rules, only public-sector employers may offer compensatory time.
Senator Kerry opposes Bush’s plan, saying it would allow employers to coerce workers to take comp time instead of overtime pay. Kerry supports an expansion Family and Medical Leave Act that would allow more reasons to take leave and cover more businesses.
Reducing Costs of Healthcare Insurance
Bush’s healthcare plan would focus on promoting Health Savings Accounts (HSAs), which let individuals accumulate tax-exempt money to pay for medical expenses, and allowing small businesses to band together to negotiate lower health-insurance premiums through Association Health Plans. Small businesses and their employees who set up an HSA would get a tax rebate for contributions to the HSA of up to $500 per worker with family coverage and $200 per worker with individual coverage.
Kerry would allow the re-importation of prescription drugs and give all Americans access to the same range of health plans currently available to members of Congress. The plan would also reimburse businesses for 75 percent of the cost of catastrophic care. In addition, the plan would give tax credits to small businesses to help them provide health insurance for their low and moderate-income employees. The tax credit would cover up to 50 percent of the cost of the employer’s share of the premiums.
Overtime
The Bush administration has overhauled the overtime-exemption standards of the Fair Labor Standards Act. Bush contends the rules clarify who is eligible for overtime and will reduce the number of employee lawsuits. Bush has threatened to veto any measure from Congress that attempts to block the new rules.
Kerry says he would reverse the recent changes, contending too many workers lose overtime eligibility under Bush’s revisions.
Minimum Wage
Kerry wants to raise the minimum wage from $5.15 to $7.00 by 2007.
Bush is more cautious about raising the minimum wage, contending a rise in the minimum wage could slow down the economy.
Safety
Kerry supports a mandatory standard for reducing ergonomic-related injuries in the workplace.
Bush opposes a mandate and prefers guidance and compliance assistance instead.
Sources:
GeorgeWBush.com
JohnKerry.com
Presidential Candidates Stand Apart on Workplace Issues
Wednesday, October 27, 2004
As the election draws near, voters are looking at two presidential candidates with different views on issues related to the workplace. Here is where they stand on some of these issues.
Balancing Work and Family
President Bush would allow employers to offer compensatory time in lieu of overtime pay. Under current rules, only public-sector employers may offer compensatory time.
Senator Kerry opposes Bush’s plan, saying it would allow employers to coerce workers to take comp time instead of overtime pay. Kerry supports an expansion Family and Medical Leave Act that would allow more reasons to take leave and cover more businesses.
Reducing Costs of Healthcare Insurance
Bush’s healthcare plan would focus on promoting Health Savings Accounts (HSAs), which let individuals accumulate tax-exempt money to pay for medical expenses, and allowing small businesses to band together to negotiate lower health-insurance premiums through Association Health Plans. Small businesses and their employees who set up an HSA would get a tax rebate for contributions to the HSA of up to $500 per worker with family coverage and $200 per worker with individual coverage.
Kerry would allow the re-importation of prescription drugs and give all Americans access to the same range of health plans currently available to members of Congress. The plan would also reimburse businesses for 75 percent of the cost of catastrophic care. In addition, the plan would give tax credits to small businesses to help them provide health insurance for their low and moderate-income employees. The tax credit would cover up to 50 percent of the cost of the employer’s share of the premiums.
Overtime
The Bush administration has overhauled the overtime-exemption standards of the Fair Labor Standards Act. Bush contends the rules clarify who is eligible for overtime and will reduce the number of employee lawsuits. Bush has threatened to veto any measure from Congress that attempts to block the new rules.
Kerry says he would reverse the recent changes, contending too many workers lose overtime eligibility under Bush’s revisions.
Minimum Wage
Kerry wants to raise the minimum wage from $5.15 to $7.00 by 2007.
Bush is more cautious about raising the minimum wage, contending a rise in the minimum wage could slow down the economy.
Safety
Kerry supports a mandatory standard for reducing ergonomic-related injuries in the workplace.
Bush opposes a mandate and prefers guidance and compliance assistance instead.
Sources:
GeorgeWBush.com
JohnKerry.com
Comments
Speaking of minimum wage; good, bad or indifferent, our minimum wage laws and union wages are the two most prominent reasons companies go offshore and take jobs with them.
Thanks for your post. How does one spell MORE AND BIGGER GOVERNMENT?
John Edwards