Brilliant California Legislators Move To Regulate ... Babysitting
Sen. Doug LaMalfa writes that a new bill sailing through the California legislature will require parents to provide babysitter's workers' comp benefits, rest and meal breaks and paid vacation time.
Assembly Bill 889 is sponsored by Assemblyman Tom Ammiano, D-San Francisco, and will require these protections for all “domestic employees,” including nannies, housekeepers and caregivers:
Under AB 889, household “employers” (aka “parents”) who hire a babysitter on a Friday night will be legally obligated to pay at least minimum wage to any sitter over the age of 18 (unless it is a family member), provide a substitute caregiver every two hours to cover rest and meal breaks, in addition to workers' compensation coverage, overtime pay, and a meticulously calculated timecard/paycheck.
Failure to abide by any of these provisions may result in a legal cause of action against the employer including cumulative penalties, attorneys' fees, legal costs and expenses associated with hiring expert witnesses, an unprecedented measure of legal recourse provided no other class of workers – from agricultural laborers to garment manufacturers. (On the bright side, language requiring an hour of paid vacation time for every 30 hours worked was amended out of the bill in the Senate.)
Speaking as a stay-at-home mother who hires babysitters, my response is unprintable but could be shortened to "Are you kidding me?" Are there no women or men in the California legislature who have ever dealt with either a real income or the real constraints of securing child care? It is difficult enough to secure quality childcare without having to come up with some bizarre plan whereby said caregivers get a break every two hours. It's insane. Mothers themselves don't take "breaks" every two hours (or 24 hours, sometimes) and women actually understand how to manage this enterprise without overburdening their assistants.
My difficulties managing self-employment are big enough, and the net money I make after hiring a sitter to allow me to go report a story are so meager, that if I lived in California, I could imagine not working and not hiring a babysitter.
Beyond the problems with the unnecessary regulation of an industry that women have managed quite well over the years, this bill will hurt those people who make their living in housekeeping and child care.
As people are more and more burdened by regulatory overreach, they avoid hiring people
I don't know if this bill is being pushed by institutionalized care services or what, but it would be nice if the California legislature would think about some of the unintended consequences of this bill.
More information on the text and status of the bill can be accessed from Sen. LaMalfa.
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Jun '10
Re: Brilliant California Legislators Move To Regulate ... Babysitting
Just when you think you've seen the most radical, idiotic extension of the nanny state, you see something like this. My wife and I raised five children and frequently left them for several hours with babysitters (typically 14-16 year old girls from our immediate neighborhood). We made sure we knew them and that our kids felt comfortable with them (and we made sure the babysitter could get hold of us). It's been a while, but I paid them whatever the going rate was plus a little more (but I doubt it was as high as the minimum wage).
Result: We never had a single problem. The babysitters were happy, my wife and I were happy, my kids were happy.
Later, my daughters and occasionally one of my sons did babysitting. Same results.
This is how rational, common sense people deal with babysitters. It is a voluntary transaction that the state should keep its nannyish nose out of. No one is being oppressed.
Edited on August 31, 2011 at 6:33pmMay '10
Re: Brilliant California Legislators Move To Regulate ... Babysitting
Uuuuuuuncleeeeeeeeeee!!!!
May '10
Re: Brilliant California Legislators Move To Regulate ... Babysitting
My husband (The Man) and I have been doing a weekly date night since we brought our first son into our home. If I didn't have that weekly date night, I would go crazier than I already am! Good grief! These nutty CA dems are out to get me!
Edited on August 31, 2011 at 8:23pmMay '10
Re: Brilliant California Legislators Move To Regulate ... Babysitting
There is no area of private life in democrat-ruled California that is immune from the overreach of the legislative goodists.
Jul '10
Re: Brilliant California Legislators Move To Regulate ... Babysitting
Paid workman's comp. For baby sitters.
I've been thinking for quite awhile that the black market must be blossoming under the Regime and wondering how to gauge and measure. It is beginning to occur to me that there may not be much non-black market economy left in certain (appropriately) blue states. Tag'em Quincy.
Aug '11
Re: Brilliant California Legislators Move To Regulate ... Babysitting
Lemonade stands, Babysitters...what's next? The kid who mows my lawn?
Apr '11
Re: Brilliant California Legislators Move To Regulate ... Babysitting
FeliciaB: My husband (The Man) and I have been doing a weekly date night since we brought our first son into our home. If I didn't have that weekly date night, I would go crazier than I already am! Good grief! These nutty CA dems are out to get me! · Aug 31 at 11:22am
Edited on Aug 31 at 11:23 am
Hey Felicia! Welcome back! Whereya been?
May '10
Re: Brilliant California Legislators Move To Regulate ... Babysitting
Charlotte
FeliciaB: My husband (The Man) and I have been doing a weekly date night since we brought our first son into our home. If I didn't have that weekly date night, I would go crazier than I already am! Good grief! These nutty CA dems are out to get me! · Aug 31 at 11:22am
Edited on Aug 31 at 11:23 am
Hey Felicia! Welcome back! Whereya been? · Aug 31 at 6:51pm
I've been on a book reading binge. When that happens, I get zombie eyes and can't seem to form coherent sentences. Plus, it's the end of summer, and my 3 monkeys on crack (AKA boy children) are sucking my life force away from me. I'm anxiously awaiting the advent of government sponsored education for them in T-minus 7 days. Then I'll have hours to devote to socializing with my internet friends again.
May '10
Re: Brilliant California Legislators Move To Regulate ... Babysitting
FeliciaB
Charlotte
FeliciaB: My husband (The Man) and I have been doing a weekly date night since we brought our first son into our home. If I didn't have that weekly date night, I would go crazier than I already am! Good grief! These nutty CA dems are out to get me! · Aug 31 at 11:22am
Edited on Aug 31 at 11:23 am
Hey Felicia! Welcome back! Whereya been? · Aug 31 at 6:51pm
I've been on a book reading binge. When that happens, I get zombie eyes and can't seem to form coherent sentences. Plus, it's the end of summer, and my 3 monkeys on crack (AKA boy children) are sucking my life force away from me. I'm anxiously awaiting the advent of government sponsored education for them in T-minus 7 days. Then I'll have hours to devote to socializing with my internet friends again. · Aug 31 at 7:45pm
And while you're at it, look me up on Facebook or through my website.