HOGAN ISSUES WEAK EXECUTIVE ORDERS FOLLOWING SICK LEAVE VETO

HOGAN ISSUES WEAK EXECUTIVE ORDERS FOLLOWING SICK LEAVE VETO
Hollow Orders Leave Thousands Without Access to Paid Leave

May 26, 2017

Contact:
Jazzmen S. Knoderer
443-562-1118
[email protected]


BALTIMORE – Governor Hogan’s veto of the Healthy Working Families Act is an outright attack on Marylanders. No one should have to choose between their paycheck and getting well. Far too often, hardworking Marylanders are doing just that. AFSCME Maryland, the state’s largest and fastest growing union for state and university employees, stands in solidarity with every worker in Maryland affected by this purely political veto. The union supports an overturn of Governor Hogan’s veto during next year’s legislative session. 

AFSCME Maryland President Patrick Moran today issued the following statement:

“Governor Hogan’s executive orders do little to soothe the sting of this cruel veto. Claiming the bill was passed without consideration regarding the financial impact on the state ignores the years of testimonies during general assembly sessions, studies and research that went into crafting the legislation. An executive order calling for a task force to study sick leave is political theater – a stalling tactic aimed at pleasing Hogan’s donors and corporate interests. 

“While Hogan plays politics, Marylanders and their families suffer. A close look at the numbers indicate that thousands of contractors, including more than 7,000 workers in higher education, won’t be covered under the governor’s contractual employee executive order. 

The procurement authorization ignores Hogan’s expressed preference for lowest-bidding contractors. This order is a sleight of hand that gives the appearance of fiscal responsibility, but it actually has the potential to undercut a much-needed benefit like paid sick leave.”

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