New Hampshire: Carol Shea-porter

Congresswoman Carol Shea-Porter has just introduced a bill to protect families.
WASHINGTON, DC. - Congresswoman Carol Shea-Porter demonstrated her unwavering commitment to workers and families by introducing the Family and Medical Leave Restoration Act. This bill repeals certain restrictive rules regarding the use of Family and Medical Leave that were enacted during the previous administration.

"The Family and Medical Leave Act helps ensure that workers do not have to choose between keeping their job and caring for a loved one or themselves," said Congresswoman Shea-Porter. "My bill will restore the Family and Medical Leave Act to its original intent and spirit."

more below the fold

Specifically, the Family and Medical Leave Restoration Act will:

Restore protections that prevent an employer from forcing an employee from using more incremental FMLA leave than is medically necessary;
Reverse limitations placed on the use of accrued paid leave while on FMLA;
Restore the prohibition on denying attendance bonuses as a consequence for taking FMLA leave;
Restore protections that prohibit the waiving of an employee's FMLA rights without review and approval by the Department of Labor or the courts;
Restore protections that prohibit an employer from approving or denying FMLA leave based on compliance or non-compliance with employer leave request policies;
Restore employee privacy by reversing regulations that would allow an employer to directly contact an employee's medical provider;
Restore previous "fitness-for-duty" certification rules for employees who take intermittent leave;
Direct the Secretary to revise the Bush regulations to revisit the new, burdensome treatment and recertification timelines imposed by the previous Department of Labor, and
Direct the Secretary to revise the provided medical certification template to include the definition of a "serious health condition.

The NRCC has released a statement criticizing U.S. Rep. Carol Shea-Porter (D-NH) because she is a co-sponsor of the Employee Free Choice Act.

Here is the NRCC statement:

Rep. Carol Shea-Porter (D-NH) signed her name on the dotted line yesterday by co-sponsoring the so-called Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA) – better known as “card-check.” In doing so, the New Hampshire Democrat signaled her support to strip workers of the right to a secret union ballot, a practice that leads to corruption and worker intimidation, not to mention its potential to kill jobs generated by small businesses. Shea-Porter's support of card-check is further proof that she has put the special interests of Big Labor that funded her campaign ahead of the needs of struggling working class families she regrettably misrepresents in Congress.

A little bird tells me that Congresswoman Carol Shea-Porter will be on CNN tomorrow (March 11) between 8-9 AM.  

The New Hampshire Democratic Party has established a special election fund to help Bud Martin’s state senate campaign and a candidate running for state representative.

Martin is running in senate district 3 and is expected to face former U.S. Rep. Jeb Bradley (R-NH). The special election is expected to take place on April 21st.

“Bud Martin is gearing up to run again in State Senate District 3. Bud ran for the seat in 2008 and lost by a very narrow margin,” a NHDP newsletter states. “Bud is a former NH District Court Judge and is currently an attorney and small business owner. He's ready to join Governor Lynch in making responsible and compassionate fiscal decisions and helping New Hampshire's working families through these difficult economic times.