From: orville%weyrich@uunet.uu.net (Orville R. Weyrich)
Subject: Re: Getting your own benefits...(was Re: Proud of overworking...)
Reply-To: uunet.uu.net!weyrich!orville
Organization: Weyrich Computer Consulting
Date: Fri, 13 Nov 92 08:33:48 GMT

In article <1992Nov5.032254.10967@RedBrick.COM> jfr@RedBrick.COM () writes:
>In article <ATAYLOR.92Nov2094429@gauss.nmsu.edu> ataylor@nmsu.edu (Nosy) writes:
>><In article <1cn1oeINN3tb@cat.cis.Brown.EDU> plutchak@pilsner.geo.brown.edu (Joel Plutchak) writes:
>>[munch]
>><      Incidentally, I've worked for companies for the past 8 years which
>><   provide good fringe benefits, including family leave.  I've seen none
>><   of the "evil" consequences which its detractors deem certain to occur.
>><   And in case you're curious, I've never taken such leave, but people
>><   around me have.
>>
>>	Sounds to me as if family leave is a good benefit for those
>>	who need it; since not everyone does, why should it be
>>	mandated by the government?
>
>  I don't get this.  Family leave is potentially valuable to everyone.

It also potentially costs everyone. Part of the question is "do we really
wish to cede more of our individual rights and responsibilities to government
intervention, and hope that the government will do a better job of managing
our affairs for us than we could ourselves?"

>  For instance, it permits taking leave to assist your parents, your
>  brothers or sisters, etc. if they become seriously ill.  It is NOT
>  solely for parents.  Of course, if none of your family ever becomes
>  sick, it doesn't help you.  But then the government mandates both

But indirectly, you pay for it anyway.

>  Social Security, unemployment insurance and worker's comp.  In all
>  three cases, if you need it its great but if you don't it is worthless.
>  That is the principal behind most insurance (i.e., spread the risk

The other principle of insurance is that your rates depend on your relative
risk. None of the government mandated programs that I have heard of give the
equivalent of "safe driver" discounts or "reckless-driver" surcharges.

Since I prefer to live my life as a "defensive driver", I object to being
forced to subsidize the government give-away of the fruits of my efforts
to the reckless.

>  by having each member of the pool contribute a little bit to pay for
>  the few people who actually have the problem).  With family leave,
>  the issue has even less impact because their is NO requirement that
>  the company pay for the leave (except for continuation of benefits).

QUESTION: what is the fastest increasing cost of having employees?
ANSWER: benefits.

>  All they must do is guarantee your job during the term of the leave.
>  I agree that there are difficulties in small companies (10 or so

Not just companies with 10 or fewer employees -- ANY workgroup in a 
company of any size that consists of a tightly-coupled interaction between
skilled individuals that have both general skills and project-specific skills.
In otherwords, ESPECIALLY software development and engineering efforts.

>  employees) with respect to job skills replacement during the leave
>  period.  But those problems are always possible.   People leave

There is a "problem" with people all dying sooner or later. But that is
not justification for someone blasting away into a crowd with a assault
rifle.

>  jobs all the time and companies manage until they find replacements.
>  With family leave, it is unlikely that they will need a replacement
>  for a short leave and likely they can find some kind of part time

How does family leave affect whther they NEED a replacement? It only makes
it harder and more expensive to OBTAIN a cost-effective replacement.

>  or temporary fill-in for long ones, if they need one.



orville

--------------------------------------   **************************************
Orville R. Weyrich, Jr.                        Weyrich Computer Consulting
Certified Data Processor                     POB 5782, Scottsdale, AZ 85261
Certified Systems Professional                   Voice: (602) 391-0821
Certified Computer Programmer            Internet: orville%weyrich@uunet.uu.net
--------------------------------------   **************************************