Greenwich businessman and former U.S. Senate hopeful Ned Lamont is expected to declare his candidacy for governor today. But, his Democratic opponents for the nomination may have sprung a trap for him.

Last week, Lamont told veteran political reporter Mark Pazniokas that he opposes state mandated sick leave. “I’m not sure I need the government stepping in and putting another mandate on businesses like mine,” he said.

The 56-year-old entrepreneur and part-time Central Connecticut State University faculty member is the founder of a cable television company that services colleges and universities.

He added that this kind of mandate “sends the wrong signal out there at a time when we have a very high unemployment rate, and I’m doing everything as a candidate for governor to recruit, to expand job creation in our state.”

Lamont, with liberal voter support, won the 2006 Democratic primary against U.S. Sen. Joe Lieberman.

He “doesn’t get it,” said Democratic gubernatorial rival, former Stamford Mayor Dan Malloy. “There are certain basic rights that should be afforded to any working person in Connecticut, and paid sick leave is certainly among them.”

Malloy said it’s wrong to penalize salaried and hourly workers for being ill.

“A person should not have to worry about missing a rent check or a mortgage payment because they catch the flu,” Malloy said.

Kurt Westby, Service Employees International Union state director, asked rhetorically if Lamont really believed Connecticut doesn’t need a paid sick leave policy?

“Too many workers are forced to choose between going to work sick or losing a pay day,” Westby said. “As a result, too many working men and women put off seeing a doctor or taking their kids to one because they can’t take off from work. Not only is this situation bad for sick workers and their families, but it puts other workers and the public at risk of contracting infectious illnesses.”

Westby said his union is fighting for paid leave in Connecticut because “it’s critical to keeping our state and our economy healthy.”

Lamont’s statement reflects the position of the Connecticut Business & Industry Association. CBIA Lobbyist Kia Murrell wrote in her blog that the mandated paid sick leave proposal “hurts prospects for job growth.” Companies with 50 or more employees would be required to provide one hour of paid sick leave for each 40 hours worked, with carryover of up to 40 unused accrued hours of paid sick leave to the next calendar year.

Catherine Weeks, comptroller of Terryville-based Coldform Inc., said the paid sick days bill raised too many red flags.

“Things are very difficult for small manufacturers trying to stay in business,” she said. “This bill could have put expenses over the top and forced small companies like ours to close.”

Richard Creed, president of Creed Monarch Co., New Britain, manufacturers of precision machine components, said his 250 employees already adhere to vacation and sick day guidelines.

Although he is pro-labor, he believes paid sick days legislation “will do nothing but further a perception that it’s more expensive to buy components in Connecticut.”