Ben Valdez, Dr. Ken Larson, The Weldon Angelos Case – hour 2

Subject: FW: vacation bill to be introduced May 21
Importance: High

I have some terrific news to share with you!!! At 11 am, Thursday, May 21st on the Cannon House Office Building Terrace, Congressman Alan Grayson of Florida will introduce the first paid vacation bill in US history at a press conference. I will be with the Congressman as he announces the legislation. The basic points of the bill and arguments in favor are included below my email in an email from Congressman Grayson’s staff.

As you will see, this is a very modest bill, but as a friend who is a US Senate staffer told me, it’s a “down payment” for future improvements. TAKE BACK YOUR TIME hopes that all individuals and organizations that care about the quality of life of working people will endorse this legislation. We hope that it will be strengthened in committee and in the Senate, but we are grateful that Congressman Grayson is, by this bill, bringing America’s lack of vacation time to public attention and beginning, however modestly, to address it. I hope you will add your support for this bill and will assist me in reaching out to other organizations. We would love to have any of you join us at the introduction press conference for this groundbreaking and historic occasion. I am very excited about this–it is the culmination of hard work by many people! I have made it clear that our support for this bill is contingent on its not being viewed as a possible substitute for the Healthy Families Act, which we firmly believe should be passed first. The vacation time in this bill will be IN ADDITION TO any sick leave currently granted by companies or mandated by the Healthy Families Act when it passes.

Additionally, we will be addressing this bill at our Seattle Vacation Matters Summit in August and Congressman Grayson hopes to join us there. I hope that many of you can make this first-ever conference and be part of the history we are trying to make.

all best,
John de Graaf
www.right2vacation.org

John,
Here is the outline of the bill. Please keep me posted on the feedback you get. I am in the process of hammering out details for the news conference. I received your email regarding the speakers, which will be welcome.
We are shooting for an 11am start at this point due to scheduling.
Todd
Todd Jurkowski, Press Secretary
Congressman Alan Grayson (Dist.
todd.jurkowski@mail.house.gov
202.503.5964 (cell)
407.841.1757 (office)
To sign up for Congressman Grayson’s e-newsletters, click here.
_____________________________________________
From: Moshi, Aysha
May 21, 2009
“Draft” Paid Vacation Act of 2009
What the Bill would do:
What
• Paid Vacation Leave: The bill would require “at least” one week of paid vacation be offered by companies with 100 or more employees.
• Expansion of Vacation Leave: Three years after enactment, companies with 50 or more employees would be required to offer at least one week of paid vacation, and companies with 100 or more employees would be required to offer at least two weeks of paid vacation.
Who
• Full Time: Full time workers that have served at least one year at a company of 100 employees.
• Full Time: Three years after enactment, full time workers that have served at least one year at a company of 50 or more employees.
• Part Time: Part time workers that serve at least 25 hours a week and 1100 hours a year would qualify for paid vacation leave immediately.
Why This Legislation is needed:
Compared with other countries
• The U.S. is the only industrialized nation without a minimum annual leave statute.
• 137 countries have paid vacation leave, including all developed countries.
• In 1980 we ranked 11th in the world in longevity—now we’re 42nd.
• The U.S. is twice as likely as Europeans to suffer from anxiety and depression, and many experts believe these deficits are caused by lack of time.
• Every European worker gets at least four weeks of paid vacation by law, yet the Euro is rising while the dollar is falling.
Americans are taking fewer (and shorter) vacations:
• PEW Research Center says “more free time” is the number one priority for middle-class Americans—68% listed this as a high priority for them.
• Last year only 14% of American workers took two weeks or more for vacation.
• According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average American works one month (160 hours) more today than in 1976.
• Last year only 57% of American workers took a vacation of a week or longer.
• 25% of Americans receive no paid vacation leave. Only 69% of lower-wage workers get any paid vacation leave.
• 37% of American women earning less than $40,000 a year receive no paid annual leave.
Health:
• Men who don’t take regular vacations are 32% more likely to die of heart attacks, and 21% more likely to die early of all causes. Women have 50% more risk of heart attack.
• Stress and burnout are five times more costly to treat than average workplace maladies.
• Women who don’t take vacations are twice as likely to be depressed as those who do.
Business Development:
• Stress and burnout at work cost the US economy over $300 billion a year.
• Vacations have been shown to eliminate burnout, but it takes at least two weeks off.
• The travel industry adds $740 billion dollars a year to the US economy
• Companies that have adopted the vacation benefits endorsed here have dramatically increased productivity and profits.
• Paid vacations, after health care, are the benefits most appreciated by workers
• A New Zealand study found that workers sleep better after taking vacations and are 30-40% more alert on the job when they return.
Aysha House Moshi
Deputy Chief of Staff/Legislative Director
Congressman Alan Grayson (FL-08)
Phone: 202-225-2176

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Lieutenant Don Hutson, Public Information Officer for Salt Lake County Sheriff Winder – hour 2

Attorney General Mark Shurleff with Jack Cole of LEAP – Hour 1

Attorney General Mark Shurleff with Terry Nelson of LEAP – Hour 2

Susan Boyles, Energy Solutions, Illegals, etc – hour 2

Current events and the law of cause and effect – hour 1

The law of cause and effect – hour 2