Smart Talk Thursday: Paid sick and family leave?; Coin shortage

Wolf proposing paid time off; businesses balk

• Scott LaMar
  BioRecent Stories

  

  Scott LaMar has worked in both radio and television for more than four decades.
  
  Currently, LaMar is the Host and Executive Producer of The Spark program on WITF-FM, 89.5 & 93.3 in Harrisburg, Pa.
  
  Previously, LaMar was WITF TV’s Sr. Public Affairs producer and produced the station’s award-winning weekly public affairs TV program, Smart Talk.
  
  In addition to his on-air duties, LaMar has moderated political candidate debates, including those for candidates running for Pennsylvania governor and the U.S. Senate and was a regular contributor to BBC World News TV before and after the 2020 U.S. Presidential election.
  
  LaMar often emcees or moderates local events and has gone as far as California to emcee a national event.
  
  The American Society of Civil Engineers honored LaMar with their national Excellence in Journalism award in 2020. He has been nominated for five Mid-Atlantic Emmy Awards.
  
  LaMar and The Spark have been recognized throughout the Central Pennsylvania community including ADVOZ Lancaster’s “Dignity in Dialogue Award”, the South-Central Assembly’s “Regional Citizen Award” and was named a “Humanitarian Hero” by The Humane Society of the United States/Pennsylvania.
  
  A native of Coatesville, Pa., LaMar has also worked as a broadcast news anchor, sports play-by-play announcer and manager.

colds and viral diseases. family with runny nose and fever in bed at home

Gov. Tom Wolf wants all Pennsylvania employers to offer paid sick and family leave time to their employees. Under the governor’s proposal, paid sick leave can be used to recover from an illness, for medical appointments, to care for a family member, or to seek help from abuse or violence. Six weeks of family leave would also be available with the birth of a new child.

Wolf is instituting sick and family leave for state employees under the governor’s jurisdiction beginning October 15.

Small business advocates say the time is not right for another paid benefit while many employers have taken a financial hit during the COVID-19 pandemic.

There is sick and family leave legislation already in the General Assembly and the sponsor of one bill – Democratic Sen. Maria Collett of Montgomery County appears on Thursday’s Smart Talk.

Gene Barr, President of the Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry joins us on the program, as well.

Also, you may have heard there’s a coin shortage during the COVID-19 pandemic. Actually, there is a not a shortage of coin, but a circulation problem caused by several factors, including bank lobbies not being open.

We’ll learn more about the coin circulation issue on Thursday’s Smart Talk and what you can do to help get more coins into the marketplace.

Our guest is Hannah Walker, Vice President of Political Affairs with FMI: The Food Industry Association and a member of the Federal Reserve U.S. Coin Task Force.