Controversy Over Hiring of Firm to Administer State’s Paid Household Medical Depart Program – NBC Connecticut

A Fortune 500 company creates 150 jobs to manage the state’s new paid family vacation program, but not all are excited.

“Connecticut taxpayers expect the state’s paid medical family vacation program to be reliable, transparent, and accountable to them,” said Carlos Moreno, state director of Connecticut Working Families.

By hiring Aflac to manage the claims, lawyers and union members are blurring the line.

“However, managing the program will become less easy once it is awarded to Aflac,” said Moreno.

The Connecticut Paid Leave Authority awarded Aflac a three-year, $ 72 million contract.

“The law requires payments to begin in January. So there is an extremely short time to build a very demanding structure, ”said Andrea Barton Reeves, director of the Connecticut Paid Leave Authority.

About 18,500 civil servants did not pay into the Paid Family Vacation Fund set up in January, but civil servants have fixed the problem and these civil servants are now paying. Christine Stuart of NBC Connecticut debuts the latest on the fund in Face the Facts this week.

Barton Reeves said they would have to work with a private company to make sure they meet their deadlines.

“Our primary goal has been to ensure that every single person contributing to this Paid Vacation Entitlement has access to these benefits as they should and in the timeframe that they were promised,” said Barton Reeves.

The decision also means Aflac will create 150 jobs in Windsor.

Windsor Mayor Don Trinks, who also owns Bart’s drive-in, is excited.

“Coming into a market for someone with so many jobs that we were worried about is even better news than we could have asked for,” Trinks said.

In the face of the pandemic, many companies are considering giving up their office space.

“We really like to see an office job like this. Not only that, word gets around when people find out that Windsor is a good place to do business, ”says Trinks.

He added, “Any Mayor or First Selectman would love to see someone come to their town with 100, 150, maybe more jobs, so we embrace that in this economy.”

Union members wanted to see jobs go to the state.

“We believe that paid family and sick leave insurance should be administered by workers who, by virtue of their choice of profession and education, are subject to the protection of the public interest,” said Xavier Gordon, union member and employee of the Department of Labor.

“I share the concern about the privatization aspect. I believe it is up to the government to serve our voters well, ”said Senator Julie Kushner, D-Danbury.

Barton Reeves said they are incorporated into the contract in the best interests of Connecticut residents.

“This contract does not contain any incentive for Aflac to reject claims. The incentive, in all fairness, is for them to pay these claims, ”she added.