
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SATURDAY, June 30, 1990                   TAG: 9006300039
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL                    PAGE: A8   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: The Washington Post
DATELINE: WASHINGTON                                LENGTH: Short

PRESIDENT VETOES FAMILY LEAVE BILL

President Bush Friday vetoed legislation that would require employers to provide unpaid leave for workers to care for an ill family member or a newborn child and charged that the bill's "rigid, federally-imposed requirements" would hurt U.S. economic competiveness and deprive employees of the right to decide which benefits they want.

In his veto message, Bush declared that his administration is "strongly committed" to the need for work and family responsibilities to be complementary, but said policies to encourage this should be "crafted at the workplace by employers and employees, not through government . . . ."

Under the legislation, firms with at least 50 employees must offer up to 12 weeks a year for workers to care for a newborn child or seriously ill parent, child or themselves. During the leave, employees would receive health benefits and job protection.

by CNB