Senator Tours Appeara, Touts Tax Plan

U.S. Sen. Deb Fischer (R-NE) recently visited TRSA operator member Appeara at its facility in Norfolk, NE, according to news reports. The senator toured the linen, uniform and facility services company’s plant and discussed topics including NAFTA and the new tax plan, among other issues.

Sen. Fischer said she thinks the new federal tax plan will provide individuals and families with relief. “I think people are going to see on their paychecks now that they’re going to have more take-home pay,” Sen. Fischer said. “We’re going to have those withholding tables change. People who are going to be getting paychecks here in February and March – they’re going to see a change in that as well.”

In addition, Sen. Fischer discussed her paid family leave plan, which was included in the tax bill. The program applies to workers earning less than $72,000 a year. If employers cover at least 50% of their wages during family leave time, the employer would be eligible to receive a tax credit equal to 12.5% to 25% of the amount it pays the worker.

The program is a two-year pilot program, the article noted. Sen. Fischer said it’s designed that way to see if there’s enough incentive for more companies to offer paid family leave. “I want businesses here in Nebraska to take it up,” Sen. Fischer said. “I want to get some data on this so that we can show that it works.”

Appeara President Bob Dudley likes the idea. His company is in its first year of offering paid maternity leave and he said this is added incentive to see what the exposure could be, according to the article. “It’s something we should be looking at,” Dudley said. “We believe in a growing family and a growing America, and we don’t want to penalize them for growing a family.”

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