By Yepoka Yeebo
DNAinfo Reporter/Producer
MANHATTAN — A new study on Tuesday said the price of the proposed city law requiring paid sick leave for all workers would be $789 million a year, the Wall Street Journal reported.
The study was commissioned by the Partnership for New York City, a leading city business group which opposes the bill. Competing studies show dramatically different findings.
The study says an estimated 375,000 workers do not have paid sick leave. Supporters of the paid sick leave bill say the figure is closer to 1.3 million.
Although the bill has enough sponsors to pass, Mayor Michael Bloomberg and City Council Speaker Christine Quinn have problems with it.
"Clearly the idea of helping people get paid sick leave is something that sounds great and has merit," Quinn told the Journal. "You have to balance that against the impact on small businesses."
Under the bill, businesses would have to give workers 72 hours, or nine days, a year in sick leave. Smaller businesses with less than than 20 workers will only be obligated to give five days of paid sick leave. This would include paid time off to look after children, partners and relatives.
Manhattan councilwoman Gale Brewer told the Journal the study was a "good attempt" but was skewed towards large businesses and misinterpreted part of the bill.
"I believe it's a lot less expensive than what they're predicting, and there are a lot more workers involved," said Brewer. "It's a family-friendly legislation."
