Some Democrats in the Legislature don’t seem to get it.

Business regulations stifle growth, which means fewer jobs are created. That’s why most businesses – and most lawmakers – oppose a bill that would require employers to offer up to five weeks of paid leave for workers to care for a newborn or sick family member.

Democratic sponsors have tweaked the bill in a bid to gain support, putting the estimated 2-cent-per-hour cost of the program on the backs of employees rather than employers, and restricting the kinds of cases that qualify for paid leave.

They’ve missed the point. It’s the hidden but very real costs of this plan that will hurt business productivity. Employers already are required to allow up to 12 weeks of annual unpaid leave under the federal Family Medical Leave Act. Piling on another five weeks would worsen already costly workplace situations, forcing overtime or the hiring of temporary help. The paperwork involved isn’t free, either.

Washington’s economic recovery is underway, but it’s fragile. Legislative Democrats should listen to Gov. Christine Gregoire when she says, “Do no harm to our economic recovery.” That means embracing ideas that create jobs, not ones that kill them.