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EDITORIALS
State workers can give blood on own time

    You may not be able to get blood out of a stone, but you can get it out of a state worker — provided you give him or her paid time off. At least that’s the thinking of some state lawmakers, including Albany Assemblyman Jack McEneny, who have introduced a bill that would give every state employee up to four hours of paid leave per year to donate blood. How generous of them. And how tone deaf.
    Have these people heard about the state’s fiscal problems? They admit they don’t know the fiscal impact of this legislation, which, with a state work force of 240,000, could be small, medium or large. That’s because they have no idea how many workers might take advantage. Chances are, some may be motivated to give blood — inarguably a good, needed thing — by the offer of paid time off from work; but many are already giving blood before or after work or on their day off, out of altruism, and would now simply do it during work hours.
    The cost would also depend on who would be doing the donating. If it was your average state office employee, the work would probably be made up by colleagues or simply not be done (and if it doesn’t really have to be done, perhaps that worker’s job isn’t really necessary). But in a setting where staffing is critical and specific work needs to be done, like a prison or psychiatric center, people might have to be called in on overtime, and there would be some serious costs.
    As for the tone deafness, this proposal comes at a time when many New Yorkers have lost their jobs due to the recession and credit crunch, and many others fear losing them. Not so much state employees, who have their union seniority and other protections, as well as, thanks to their union’s political clout and campaign contributions, friends in high places. In addition to job security, they have pay which now exceeds that of most workers in comparable private-sector jobs, along with excellent health and retirement benefits, generous sick leave and vacation, holiday time, personal time, and all the rest.
    None of this they are willing to even consider giving up to help eliminate the state’s enormous budget deficit, and they have actively fought Gov. Paterson’s proposed cuts that could impact them, with a heavy-handed, fear-mongering public relations campaign. For lawmakers to..................http://www.dailygazette.net/De.....amp;EntityId=Ar00901

There are some private sector companies that have the blood mobile go to their location so their employees can donate....on company time.

The only difference I see here is that the taxpayer is paying for the state workers to basically donate blood. Where in the private sector, it is the business owner 'donating' their employees times as a community service.

I also believe that the private companies can write off the time lost from work to give blood as a charity donation and can deduct it from their taxes.

OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm almost speechless.........................................................

Quoted from bumblethru

There are some private sector companies that have the blood mobile go to their location so their employees can donate....on company time.

The only difference I see here is that the taxpayer is paying for the state workers to basically donate blood. Where in the private sector, it is the business owner 'donating' their employees times as a community service.

First, state department have had worksite blood mobiles for decades; my sister always donated, I think she said three times a year, maybe a half hour each.

However, if employes in private sector are performing a community service when donating at the worksite on company time, why aren't state employes performing a community service when donating at the worksite on state time.  

Quoted from mikechristine1

First, state department have had worksite blood mobiles for decades; my sister always donated, I think she said three times a year, maybe a half hour each.

However, if employes in private sector are performing a community service when donating at the worksite on company time, why aren't state employes performing a community service when donating at the worksite on state time.  

Because the private sector is doing it by cutting production (a thing the state doesn't have to worry about) and cutting into profits.

The state on the other hand, doesn't have to worry about loss of production (cause there is litte) nor do they have to worry about cutting into their profits. If they are short on revenues...they just tap into the taxpayers who have not choice. IMHO