(Source: MIRS.news, Published 09/01/2023) The House Republican communications shop is promoting a claim that Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's family leave proposal is an invitation for unethical people to use the 15 weeks of paid leave for "family vacations."
A national publication called The Messenger got its hands on an internal House R's "Messaging Points memo" which offered an argument that: "Lansing Democrats want to take money out of your paychecks with a new tax to pay for summer break for adults. It's a ridiculous idea that people just can't afford. People's paychecks will be smaller if Democrats proceed with the plan to push this proposal through the Legislature. I'm fighting hard to stop them."
The memo, dated Wednesday, has not been used in any press release by a member that MIRS is aware of. However, the House R's aren't backing down from the content.
"The Democrats are putting together a program that is not well defined," said House Press Secretary Jeremiah Ward. "It creates loopholes for fraud and abuse that someone could use to take a summer vacation as opposed to using it to care for a sick or loved one."
The messaging is based on SB 322 and HB 4574, identical bills that create a 15-week paid family leave program. Whitmer called for a family leave program during her "What's Next Address" on Wednesday as a way to help employees who don't have employers that offer such benefits.
Republicans claim the bills, sponsored by Rep. Helena Scott (D-Detroit) and Sen. Erika Geiss (D-Taylor) don't have the protections needed to prevent someone from puffing up a family emergency and then treating it as an extra vacation.
Democrats, however, took exception to the GOP claims.
Rep. Samantha Steckloff (D-Farmington Hills), who was let go from her job at Wayne State years ago because she ran out of sick days as she recovered from cancer, took personal exception to the comparison.
"Last I checked, postpartum depression, a dying family member's care, or going through cancer treatment wasn't a summer vacation," she wrote on the social media platform X. "This leaked memo is a slap in the face. I stand with every other Michigander that has ever or will experience the heartache of something like this.
"My cancer battle was anything but a summer break!"
"This memo is totally on brand for Republicans," said House Democratic spokesperson Amber McCann. "Republicans are either out of touch or don't care about the hardworking men and women who are juggling the demands of family life, while at the same time working to contribute to the economy.
"House Democrats are looking at various ways we can help support working families to further strengthen our workforce and Michigan's economy."
