By Christine Graf

The state’s paid family leave program (PFL) is having a significant impact on some businesses, say those in the Human Resources field.

New York’s PFL has been in effect since 2018, but won’t be completely phased in until 2021. It provides paid time off for individuals to bond with a newly born, adopted or fostered child, care for a family member with a serious illness, or assist a loved one when a family member is deployed abroad on active military service. 

As of Jan. 1, New Yorkers may be eligible to take up to 10 weeks of family leave and receive 55 percent of their salary. By 2021, 12 weeks of leave will be offered at 67 percent pay. Weekly pay caps are calculated based on state averages. 

Gail Hamel, the owner of Lake George-based Hamel Resources, said the law impacts some businesses more than others. She is a human resources consultant who works with both large and small businesses. 

Thomas Kernan, vice president of strategic planning and general counsel with Stat Staff Professionals in Saratoga Springs was recently appointed chairman of the American Staffing Association health care section council. 

ASA is the professional trade association of the $161-billion U.S. staffing, recruiting, and workforce solutions industry.

In this role, Kernan will work with ASA and its board of directors to spearhead programs and services that meet the health care sector’s needs within the association. ASA section councils are composed of member volunteers who advise the association’s board of directors on sector-specific issues and design programs to meet the unique business challenges faced by those sectors of the staffing industry.

A seasoned business attorney and healthcare staffing professional, Kernan oversees the company’s legal affairs and collaborates with the company’s CEO on strategic planning initiatives including establishing company policies, priorities, and business development objectives.  

So much of today’s business literature focuses on culture, ping pong tables, juice bars, and other office perks. These are the types of things that are supposed to attract and retain talent.

The fact is, every company has a “culture.”  What is interesting, in many, cases is that management will often see the culture differently from line staff.  

Culture is not your mission or vision statement, it’s not found in those motivational wall posters and slogans seen in many office environments. Culture is not found in some grand proclamation from the CEO. And culture certainly isn’t found at a juice bar, cappuccino machine, ping pong table, or bean bag chair.

Culture is found in the daily interactions between staff, the interactions between management and staff, and the interactions of company employees with customers and those with whom you do business. Culture can be a competitive advantage for an organization.