The following editorial appeared Monday in the Walla Walla Union-Bulletin.

The federal Family and Medical Leave Act, which entitles workers to 12 weeks of unpaid leave from their jobs to care for a newborn or a sick child or parent, is more than reasonable. It’s wonderful.

The law has allowed American workers the opportunity to better balance their work and personal lives. It has allowed people to do what they need to do for their families without fear of losing their jobs.

It has worked because the Family and Medical Leave Act creates a partnership between the employee and employer. Workers must weigh whether taking time off is important enough to forgo their salary for a few days or weeks. This ensures this federally mandated benefit is not abused.

And because the workers are not paid, the employers have the money budgeted to pay other employees overtime or hire temporary workers to help cover for the employee who is off the job.

But this successful system is being threatened in Washington state. The state Senate last week approved a measure that would allow workers to take up to five weeks of paid leave to care for a baby or sick relative.

And who would pay? If you are employed in this state, you would.

Under the plan, workers would have about 2 cents an hour deducted from their paychecks (an average of about $40 a year) to create a family leave insurance fund. Workers could then apply for a benefit of $250 a week for up to five weeks.

This de facto tax sounds small, but it adds up – and there is a serious side effect.

Washington businesses already face a difficult climate in which to operate. Organizations that monitor the impact of taxes and regulations consider Washington’s business climate among the toughest for businesses.

The challenging business climate is seen as one of the reasons it took Washington longer than most states to emerge from the recent national recession. …

If employees are allowed to take time off with pay (even minimal pay), it would increase the likelihood workers will take time off that many people might not view as necessary. …

But the most serious consequence is that businesses considering setting up shop in Washington will likely consider this new wrinkle to the federal law a potentially costly hassle. …

We urge the House to reject this plan. Tinkering with family leave will do far more harm than good.