The examples and perspective in this article may not represent a worldwide view of the subject. Please improve this article and discuss the issue on the talk page. (February 2009)

Sick leave (or paid sick days or sick pay) is time off from work that workers can use during periods of temporary sickness to stay home and address their health and safety needs without losing pay or their jobs. Some workplaces offer paid sick time as a matter of workplace policy, and in some jurisdictions it is codified into law. States around the country are considering legislation that would provide workers access to paid sick days.

Contents 1 Introduction 2 Benefits of paid sick days 2.1 Benefits to workers 2.2 Benefits to children 2.3 Benefits to employers 2.4 Benefits to community health 3 Existing provisions 3.1 United States 3.2 Australia 3.3 United Kingdom 3.4 Other countries 4 Proposed policies 4.1 Public opinion 4.2 U.S. federal legislation 4.3 Current U.S. state and local campaigns 4.3.1 Alabama 4.3.2 Alaska 4.3.3 Arizona 4.3.4 California 4.3.5 Colorado 4.3.6 Connecticut 4.3.7 Hawaii 4.3.8 Illinois 4.3.9 Iowa 4.3.10 Maine 4.3.11 Massachusetts 4.3.12 Minnesota 4.3.13 Montana 4.3.14 New Hampshire 4.3.15 New York City 4.3.16 New York State 4.3.17 North Carolina 4.3.18 Pennsylvania 4.3.19 Philadelphia 4.3.20 Rhode Island 4.3.21 Tacoma 4.3.22 Vermont 4.3.23 Washington State 4.3.24 Wisconsin 5 Opposition to a paid sick days standard 6 See also 7 References 8 External links

[edit] Introduction

Paid sick days, sometimes referred to as sick leave or paid sick leave, guarantees workers time off to stay home when they are sick without losing pay or their jobs. Some policies also allow paid sick time to be used to care for sick family members, to attend routine doctor or medical appointments, or to address health and safety needs related to domestic violence or sexual assault.

At least 145 countries ensure access to paid sick days for short- or long-term illnesses, with 127 providing a week or more annually.^[1]

Nearly two in five American workers in the private sector (39 percent) do not have a single paid sick day to recover from common, short-term illnesses.^[2] As a result, they face difficult choices: lose a day's pay or even their jobs, or go to work sick and risk infecting coworkers and customers. Working parents who lack paid sick days are often forced to choose between their jobs and their sick children.

Nearly eight in ten of the lowest wage U.S. workers (79 percent) do not have a single paid sick day.^[3] These workers are least able to afford to take unpaid time off. They also are the most likely to have jobs requiring frequent contact with the public through jobs in the restaurant, retail, child care, and health care industries. Most food service and hotel workers (78 percent) lack paid sick days.^[4]

One survey reports that most Americans (77 percent) believe that having paid sick days is “very important” for workers. ^[5] Yet without a basic workplace standard of paid sick days, one in six workers report that they or a family member have been fired, suspended, or otherwise punished or that they would be fired if they missed work due to illness.^[6]

Providing paid sick time can reduce turnover, increase productivity, and reduce the spread of contamination in the workplace.^[7]

[edit] Benefits of paid sick days

[edit] Benefits to workers

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) asks workers to stay at home if they are sick and to keep sick kids out of school.^[8] During the 2009 H1N1 crisis, the CDC recommended that anyone with flu-like symptoms remain at home.^[9] Without paid sick day policies in place, millions of workers cannot afford to take time off without pay or are afraid of losing their jobs, so they are unable to follow the CDC’s advice. However, more than 8 million workers went to their jobs while sick between September and November 2009 during the H1N1 pandemic, and they may have infected up to 7 million of their coworkers.^[10]

Not taking time off during illness can also exacerbate health problems and extend recovery time.^[11] One-quarter of women don't seek needed medical care because they simply can't find the time and cannot take off from work.^[12]

Millions of working people provide care for ill and aging family members and need time away from work to do so. A third of workers, both women and men, report they have cared for an older relative in the past year.^[13] These workers are placed in a difficult – often economically challenging – position when caregiving demands require time away from work.

The ability to earn paid, job-protected sick days would help ensure that workers don’t have to choose between their health and their economic security.

[edit] Benefits to children

Studies show that most children recover faster when cared for by their parents.^[14] Yet 53 percent of working mothers and 48 percent of working fathers don’t have paid sick days to care for an ill child.^[15]

Access to paid time off is often the deciding factor in whether a parent stays home with a sick child. Research has shown that children whose parents have access to paid sick leave are more likely to take time away from work to care for their sick kids.^[16] Without paid time off, workers may be forced to send sick children to school where they spread illness and experience negative short- and long-term health outcomes.^[17]

[edit] Benefits to employers

Research confirms what advocates for working families and many employers have long stated: when businesses take care of their workers, they are better able to retain them. And when workers have the security of paid time off, they experience increased commitment, productivity, and morale, and their employers reap the benefits of lower turnover and training costs.

Studies show that the cost of losing an employee (which can include advertising for, interviewing, and training a replacement) is often far greater than the cost of providing sick days to retain existing employees. The average cost of turnover is 25 percent of an employee's total annual compensation.^[18]

Paid sick days policies also help reduce the spread of illness in workplaces, schools, and child care facilities. In this economy, businesses cannot afford presenteeism, when sick employees come to work rather than stay at home. Presenteeism costs the U.S. economy $180 billion annually in lost productivity. For employers, this costs an average of $255 per employee per year and exceeds the cost of absenteeism and medical and disability benefits.^[19]

Without paid sick days, one worker with no choice but to come in to work sick could have disastrous economic consequences for the worker’s business. A single foodborne outbreak could cost a restaurant up to $75,000 in direct costs, including clean-up, re-staffing, restocking, settlements and regulatory sanctions. The cost of an outbreak rises dramatically if it involves death or serious illness. The indirect costs of a foodborne illness outbreak for a chain restaurant – including negative public opinion, which affects other operations in a metropolitan area – can be up to $7 million.^[20]

Offering paid sick days is inexpensive in the short term and results in net savings over the long term. The United States Bureau of Labor Statistics has said that the average cost of sick leave per employee hour worked is only 23 cents and the cost per service worker – who are among the most likely to lack paid sick days now – is only 8 cents.^[21] Additional research has shown that paid sick days lead to savings of $1.17 per worker per week for employers.^[22]

Enacting a paid sick days guarantee does not result in job losses. Multiple studies have looked at the economic well-being of the city of San Francisco after they passed their sick leave policy in 2004.^[23] Recent research reveals that San Francisco outperformed its neighboring counties in terms of job growth in the years after its sick leave program went into effect – even during the recent recession.^[24]

[edit] Benefits to community health

Countries like France, Spain, the United Kingdom, and the many others that have established a paid sick leave standard recognize that this type of policy protects the public’s health by allowing people who are ill to have an alternative to going to work or school while sick, thereby avoiding the further spread of illness.

There is substantial evidence from the United States that the absence of paid sick days can lead to behaviors that increase the risk of spreading contagion. Nearly seven in ten workers (68 percent) report they have gone to work with the stomach flu or other contagious disease.^[25] Nearly half reported that they went to work sick because they could not afford to lose the pay.^[26] As a result, contagion is spread from co-worker to co-worker. Thirty percent of workers report they contracted the flu from a colleague.^[27] As noted above, during the H1N1 flu pandemic in fall 2009, more than 8 million workers went to work sick, and they may have infected up to 7 million of their coworkers.^[28]

In addition to their colleagues, workers who choose to go to work sick risk getting customers ill. The Food and Drug Administration guidelines recommend that workers with norovirus-related illnesses work on a restricted basis until 24 hours after symptoms subside.^[29] Since most food service establishments don’t offer paid sick time, workers are forced to work sick or take unpaid leave. Nearly half of outbreaks caused by the stomach flu are linked to ill food-service workers.^[30] In 2008, health officials said a sick employee at a Chipotle restaurant in Kent, Ohio might have caused an outbreak resulting in over 500 people becoming violently ill.^[31] The outbreak cost the Kent community between $130,233 and $305,337 in lost wages, lost productivity, and health care costs.^[32]

[edit] Existing provisions

[edit] United States

The United States does not currently require that employees have access to paid sick days to address their own short-term illnesses or the short-term illness of a family member. The U.S. guarantees only unpaid leave for serious illnesses through the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). This law only covers employers with more than 50 workers and, within those businesses, only covers employees who have worked for their employer for at least 12 months prior to taking the leave.^[33]

Despite the lack of a nationwide law, three jurisdictions in the United States have passed local paid sick time laws:

In November 2006, the voters of San Francisco passed a ballot initiative which made their city the first jurisdiction in the country to guarantee paid sick days to all workers in the city. The measure received overwhelming support, with 61 percent voting in favor.^[34] Under San Francisco's law, workers earn one hour of paid sick time for every 30 hours worked. Workers in businesses with 10 or fewer employees earn up to five days per year, while workers at larger businesses earn nine days per year. Workers use paid sick time to recover from illness, attend doctor visits or care for a sick child, partner, or designated loved one.^[35] Two studies demonstrate that employment rates in San Francisco have not suffered in the wake of the paid sick days law.^[36] In fact, employment rates in San Francisco surpassed those in the surrounding five Bay Area counties even during the 2008-2009 recession. ^[37]

In March 2008, the Washington, D.C. Council voted unanimously to pass legislation guaranteeing workers paid sick time. Under the Accrued Sick and Safe Leave Act, workers in businesses with 100 or more workers earn up to seven days of paid sick leave each year, workers in businesses with 25-99 workers earn five days, and workers in businesses with 24 or fewer workers earn three days. This paid time off can be used to recover from illnesses, care for sick family members, seek routine or preventative medical care, or obtain assistance related to domestic violence or sexual assault. Although the law exempts tipped restaurant workers as well as workers in the first year of employment, more than 100,000 workers who did not previously have paid sick time – including many low-wage workers – now have it.^[38] The D.C. law was also the first in the United States to include paid "safe" days for victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking.

In November 2008, paid sick days were put to a vote on the Milwaukee ballot, and voters passed the measure with 69 percent of the vote, enacting a law that guarantees paid sick and safe days for all workers in the city. The ordinance was immediately challenged by the Chamber of Commerce and has not been implemented. The law is currently under review by the Wisconsin Supreme Court. If upheld, the ordinance will allow all workers in the city of Milwaukee to earn one hour of paid sick time for every 30 hours worked, capped at nine paid sick days a year. Workers in businesses with fewer than 10 employees would accrue at a rate of one hour for every 50 worked, up to five days a year. Workers will be able to use the time for their own illness, family illness, medical appointments, or any absence necessary due to domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking.^[39]

[edit] Australia

Sick leave has its origins in trade union campaigns for its inclusion in industrial agreements. In Australia, it was introduced into "industrial awards" in 1922 [1]

Under the Federal Governments industrial relations legislation (WorkChoices) eligible employees are entitled to:

• ten days of paid personal/carer's leave per year (including sick leave and carer's leave);
• two days of unpaid carer's leave per occasion; and
• two days of paid compassionate leave per occasion.

Paid personal/carer's leave can be taken:

• due to personal illness or injury (sick leave); or
• to provide care or support for a member of the employee's immediate family or household who requires care or support due to personal illness or injury, or an unexpected emergency (carer's leave).

Up to ten days of paid personal/carer's leave in any given year can be used as carer's leave and personal/carer's leave is cumulative from 2010.

[edit] United Kingdom

[edit] Other countries

At least 145 countries provide paid sick days for short- or long-term illnesses, with 127 providing a week or more annually. 98 countries guarantee one month or more of paid sick days.^[40]

Many high-income economies require employers to provide paid sick days upwards of 10 days, including: Japan, Germany, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, and Singapore.^[41]

[edit] Proposed policies

[edit] Public opinion

In August 2008, the National Opinion Research Center at the University of Chicago released their findings from a national public opinion poll on paid sick days.^[42]

• 86 percent of people surveyed said they favor a basic labor standard of paid sick days.
• 94 percent of self-identified liberals and 81 percent of self-identified conservatives believed that paid sick days are a basic workplace standard.
• 77 percent of respondents believed that paid sick days were very important.
• 63 percent of workers who did not have access to paid sick leave said they were concerned about not having paid sick days.
• 16 percent of workers reported that they or a family member have been fired, suspended, or otherwise punished or that they would be fired if they missed work due to illness.
• 46 percent of respondents said they are more likely to vote for a candidate who supports paid sick days.

[edit] U.S. federal legislation

The Healthy Families Act (HR 2460 / S 1152) would establish a basic workplace standard of paid sick days so workers aren’t forced to risk their jobs or paychecks to care for their health or the health of their families.

The bill creates a minimum labor standard that allows workers to earn up to seven days per year of paid, job-protected time off to recover from illness, to care for a sick family member, or to seek preventative health care. It enables victims of domestic violence, stalking, and sexual assault to take paid, job-protected time off to recover from incidents and seek assistance from the police or court. It also allows people to take time off to care for ill parents and elderly relatives, or to attend diagnostic or routine medical appointments. Employers with fewer than 15 workers would be exempt from the law.

The Health Families Act would allow an additional 30 million workers to have access to paid sick leave from their jobs, including 15 million low-wage workers and 13 million women workers. If the bill becomes law, 90 percent of all American workers would have access to paid sick days (up from 61 percent currently).^[43]

A version of the bill was first introduced in 2004. Each session, it has gained support inside and outside of Congress. Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro and Senator Edward Kennedy reintroduced the Healthy Families Act in the 111th Congress in May 2009.^[44] After Senator Kennedy’s death, Senator Chris Dodd became the lead Senate sponsor of the Healthy Families Act. The bill currently has 125 co-sponsors in the House and 24 in the Senate.

The Health Families Act was the subject of three hearings in the 111th United States Congress:

• House Education and Labor Committee’s Workforce Protections Subcommittee hearing on the Healthy Families Act on June 11, 2009.
• Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, Subcommittee on Children and Families hearing, “The Cost of Being Sick: H1N1 and Paid Sick Days,” on November 10, 2009.
• House Education and Labor Committee hearing, “Protecting Employees, Employers and the Public: H1N1 and Sick Leave Policies,” on November 17, 2009.

The Obama Administration has testified in support of the bill.^[45] First Lady Michelle Obama has spoken out on numerous occasions about the need for a paid sick days standard.^[46]

A broad-based coalition of women’s, civil rights, health, children’s, faith-based, and labor organizations supports the Healthy Families Act.

The U.S. government guarantees federal employees 13 paid sick days a year.

[edit] Current U.S. state and local campaigns

In recent years, advocates in states and cities across the country have created vibrant campaigns for paid sick days laws. In 2010, legislators and advocates are advancing initiatives in 24 states and cities.^[47]

[edit] Alabama

Alabama State Rep. Merika Coleman introduced paid sick and safe time legislation in February 2010. The job-protected paid time off could be used to recover from an illness, seek medical diagnosis or treatment, care for a sick family member, take time away when a school has been closed due to a public health emergency, or seek services related to domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking.^[48]

[edit] Alaska

A coalition led by Alaska PIRG is advocating for a paid sick days standard in Alaska that would provide one hour of paid sick time for every 40 hours worked. The legislation would apply to all businesses with 15 or more employees. The paid sick time could be used to recover from illness, care for a sick family member, or seek domestic violence recovery services.^[49]

[edit] Arizona

Arizona State Rep. Kyrsten Sinema, with the support of several of her colleagues in the Arizona House of Representatives, has introduced paid sick and safe time legislation. The job-protected paid time off could be used to recover from an illness, seek medical diagnosis or treatment, care for a sick family member, in the event of a public health emergency, or to seek services related to domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking.^[50]

[edit] California

California's paid sick days campaign, coordinated by the California Work and Family Coalition and sponsored by the California Labor Federation, is working to build on San Francisco's historic 2006 victory and bring paid sick days to all California workers. The California coalition includes advocates working on behalf of workers, women, children, people of color, and the state's public health interest.

California’s paid sick days bill would ensure that all California workers have the right to earn one hour of paid sick time for every 30 hours worked. Workers would be able to use the paid sick days to recover from illness, to care for an ill family member, or to seek services related to sexual assault, or domestic violence. The bill guarantees employees of businesses with 10 or more employees the right to use a minimum of nine paid sick days annually. Employees of smaller businesses would be guaranteed a minimum of five paid sick days annually.

The campaign had a near-victory in the 2008 legislative session. The bill was reintroduced in 2009 and was successfully voted out of the Assembly Labor and Employment Committee and the Judiciary Committee.^[51]

[edit] Colorado

The Colorado Paid Sick Days Coalition is led by 9to5, National Association of Working Women, and includes many partner organizations working on behalf of workers, women, children, people of color, and the state's public health interest. Colorado's paid sick days bill would allow employees to take time away from work to recover from illness, receive medical treatment, care for a sick family member, or seek services related to domestic violence.^[52]

[edit] Connecticut

Connecticut's campaign is led by Working Families. Connecticut’s bill, which has passed each house of the legislature, but not in the same year, would create a basic workplace standard that would enable workers to accrue one hour of paid sick time for every 40 hours worked, capped at 40 hours per year. Under the paid sick days standard, Connecticut workers employed by businesses with 50 or more employees would be able to take a paid sick day to recover from illness, seek preventive care, care for a sick child, or seek assistance related to family violence, sexual assault, or violence.^[53]

[edit] Hawaii

Hawaii State Rep. Roy Takumi has introduced legislation that would guarantee that Hawaiian workers can earn paid sick time to recover from their own illness, seek medical diagnosis or treatment, or to care for a sick family member. Employees would earn one hour of paid sick time for every 30 hours worked, up to a maximum of 40 hours for those employed by smaller businesses (defined as having fewer than 50 employees) or a maximum of 72 hours for those employed by larger businesses (defined as having 50 or more employees).^[54]

[edit] Illinois

Women Employed is leading the Illinois coalition supporting the Healthy Workplace Act, which would allow workers to earn one hour of paid sick time per 30 hours worked, up to a maximum of seven days per year. The coalition includes dozens of advocacy groups from across the state that are raising public awareness about paid sick days and campaigning for this new workplace standard. Under the Healthy Workplace Act, paid sick days could be used to recover from an illness, care for a sick family member, or seek medical diagnosis or treatment.^[55]

[edit] Iowa

Iowa’s paid sick and safe days proposal, introduced by State Sen. Thomas Courtney (on behalf of the Senate Committee on Labor and Business Relations), would allow workers to earn 5.54 hours of job-protected, paid sick time per 40 hours worked, up to a maximum of 18 days per year. Leave could be used to recover from illness, to seek diagnosis or treatment, to care for a sick family member, to seek services related to domestic assault, sexual abuse, or stalking, or in the event of a public health emergency.^[56]

[edit] Maine

The Maine Women's Lobby partnered with the Maine Work and Family Coalition to advance a paid sick days bill in Maine. The bill would guarantee workers at larger businesses up to about six paid sick days per year, while workers at smaller businesses could earn approximately three paid sick days per year. The earned paid sick time could be used for routine illness, to care for a family member during a public health emergency, to receive preventive care, or to be used in relation to domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking.^[57]

[edit] Massachusetts

The Massachusetts Paid Leave Coalition, directed by Greater Boston Legal Services in collaboration with the Massachusetts AFL-CIO and the Jewish Alliance for Law and Social Action, is working together to gain strong support for the Massachusetts paid sick days bill in the state legislature. The coalition, which includes advocates for workers, seniors, children, and people of color, is working to advance a bill that would provide all workers the right to earn one hour of paid sick time per 30 hours worked, up to a maximum of seven days per year. Workers could use paid sick days to recover from illness, to care for a sick family member, or to seek assistance related to domestic violence.^[58]

[edit] Minnesota

The Minnesota Paid Sick Days Coalition, which is leading advocacy efforts in Minnesota, includes Minnesota AFL-CIO, Minnesota Association of Professional Employees, Minnesota Battered Women’s Coalition, Minnesota Nurse’s Association, Minnesota Women’s Political Caucus, AFSCME Council 5, Business and Professional Women of Minnesota, Children’s Defense Fund of Minnesota, SEIU Minnesota State Council, St. Paul Regional Labor Federation, UFCW, and UNITE HERE.

The Minnesota Healthy Families, Healthy Workplace Act would provide all workers with paid sick days to be used to recover from their own illness, to care for a sick family member, or for absence related to domestic violence. Workers would earn one hour of paid sick time per 40 hours worked, capped at 52 hours (or 6.5 days) per year. Smaller businesses would provide one hour of paid sick time for every 80 hours worked, capped at 26 hours (or 3.25 days) per year. Businesses with fewer than 15 employees would be exempt from the law.^[59]

The Emergency Health Families, Health Workplace Act would provide for paid sick days in the event of a public health emergency or contagious disease outbreak. ^[60]

[edit] Montana

Montana State Rep. Mary Caferro is leading efforts to advocate for a paid sick days standard in the Montana. Her efforts are supported by local advocates from WEEL (Working for Equality and Economic Liberation), a grassroots social and economic justice organization that advocates for policies that improve the lives of low-income families.^[61]

[edit] New Hampshire

New Hampshire's campaign, led by the New Hampshire Women's Lobby & Alliance, is partnering with a large coalition that includes women's rights and public health advocates to advance a paid sick days bill in the state's legislature. The proposed bill would provide up to five paid sick and safe days for New Hampshire workers, allowing them to take paid time to recover from illness, to care for a sick family member, or for absence necessary due to domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking.

[edit] New York City

New York City’s campaign, which is led by A Better Balance: The Work and Family Legal Center, the New York State Paid Family Leave Coalition, and the Working Families Party, is working with a broad coalition to raise awareness and advance a paid sick and safe days standard that would cover all of the workers in New York City. The coalition includes active participation by Make the Road New York and the Restaurant Opportunities Center of New York as well as involvement by advocates working on behalf of workers, children, and women, as well as public health leaders in the City. The current bill is a top priority of the Progressive Caucus in the New York City Council.

New York City’s paid sick time legislation guarantees anyone who works within the city the right to earn paid sick time at the rate of one hour for every 30 hours worked. Workers in small businesses (defined as having fewer than 20 employees) are eligible to accrue up to 40 hours (or five days) of paid sick leave per year, while workers in larger businesses (defined as having more than 20 employees) are eligible to accrue up to 72 hours (or seven days) of paid sick leave annually. Workers may use the time to care for their own illness or the illness of a family member, to seek preventive medical care for themselves or a family member, or in the event that a public health emergency leads to the closure of their own workplace or a child's school or daycare.^[62]

[edit] New York State

New York State Assemblyman Karim Camara and State Senator Kevin Parker introduced legislation in the New York legislature that would require employers to provide one hour of paid sick time for every 20 hours worked. Workers at larger businesses (defined as having 10 or more employees) would be able to earn up to 80 hours (or ten days) of paid sick time per year, and workers at smaller businesses could earn up to 40 hours (or five days). The time could be used to recover from illness or care for a sick family member.^[63]

[edit] North Carolina

North Carolina's Paid Sick Days Campaign, led by the North Carolina Justice Center, is generating support for paid sick days in the state. The proposal they are supporting would guarantee all workers one hour of paid sick time for every 30 hours worked, up to an annual maximum of 56 hours (7 days) for larger businesses (defined as having 10 or more employees) or 32 hours (4 days) for smaller businesses (defined as having fewer than 10 employees). The paid sick days provided could be used for an employee's own illness, to care for a sick family member, or to recover from incidents of domestic violence and stalking. Certain workers who are exempt from minimum wage laws would not be covered by the law.^[64]

[edit] Pennsylvania

PathWays PA is working with a large coalition to pass paid sick days for all Pennsylvania workers. The Healthy Families, Healthy Workplaces Act would allow workers to earn one hour of paid sick time for every 40 hours worked, capped at 52 hours (or 6.5 days) per year. Businesses with fewer than 10 employees would be required to offer workers one hour of paid sick time for every 80 hours worked, capped at 26 hours (or 3.25 days) per year. Workers may use paid sick days to recover from their own illness, to care for a sick family member, or to recover from or seek services related to incidents of domestic violence.^[65]

[edit] Philadelphia

The coalition advocating for paid sick days in the city of Philadelphia, led by PathWays PA, is supporting the Promoting Healthy Families and Workplaces ordinance. Under this measure, workers would be able to earn one hour of sick time for every 30 hours worked. Workers in larger businesses could earn up to 72 hours (or 9 days) of paid sick time, and workers in smaller businesses could earn up to 40 hours (or five days) of paid sick time. Workers would be able to use their earned sick days to recover from illness or to care for a sick family member.^[66]

[edit] Rhode Island

Introduced by State Reps. Messier, Carnevale, Handy, Naughton, and Ferri, Rhode Island’s proposed paid sick time legislation would allow workers to earn job-protected paid time off to be used to recover from an illness, seek medical diagnosis or treatment, care for a sick family member, take time away when a school has been closed due to a public health emergency, or seek services related to domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking. The bill would allow workers to earn one hour of paid sick time for every 30 hours worked, up to seven days per year for larger businesses and up to four days per year for small businesses.^[67]

[edit] Tacoma

The Coalition for a Healthy Tacoma, a group comprised of labor, human services, faith, seniors’, and women’s organizations is spearheading a new citywide initiative in the city of Tacoma, Washington. The Tacoma campaign is advocating for one hour of paid sick time for every 30 hours an employee works, up to 40 hours per year for workers in smaller businesses and 72 hours per year for workers in larger businesses. Washington already has a statewide law called the Family Care Act that requires businesses that offer paid sick time to permit a worker to use that time to care for an ill family member, so the Tacoma ordinance would only address paid sick time for workers themselves.^[68]

[edit] Vermont

Voices for Vermont's Children, the Vermont Livable Wage Campaign, and their coalition partners have launched a campaign to pass paid sick days for all workers in Vermont. An employee would earn one hour of paid sick time for every 30 hours worked, up to a maximum of 56 hours (or seven days) each year. Workers would be able to use their days to recover from their own illness, care for a sick family member, or seek preventive or routine health care. The legislation also would create a safe days standard that survivors of domestic or sexual assault could use for legal or health issues.^[69]

[edit] Washington State

The Economic Opportunity Institute, at the helm of the Washington Family Leave Coalition, is building support for a paid sick days standard in Washington State. Washington was among the first states in the nation to consider paid sick days legislation, and advocates have built a strong movement committed to improving standards to better meet the needs of both families and businesses.^[70]

[edit] Wisconsin

The Wisconsin Paid Sick Days Coalition, led by 9to5, National Association of Working Women, is working to build upon momentum created by the Milwaukee Paid Sick Days Campaign and to generate support for statewide legislation. Their proposal would provide access paid sick days for all Wisconsin workers, as well as access to paid safe days for victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking.

[edit] Opposition to a paid sick days standard

Opponents of a workplace standard believe that employers should offer paid sick days voluntarily at the employer’s discretion. They believe that employers best understand the benefit preferences of their employees and must maintain flexibility to meet the unique needs of their workforce. Furthermore, opponents argue that paid sick days policies should provide predictability and stability to employers offering the program.^[71]

[edit] See also

• Annual leave
• Employee benefit
• Labour and employment law
• List of statutory minimum employment leave by country
• Long service leave
• Parental leave

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• National Partnership for Women and Families - Paid Sick Days website
• National Partnership for Women and Families - State and Local Action on Paid Sick Days: 2010 Outlook.
• Australian Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations

v • d • e Employment Classifications Casual/Contingent • Full-time • Part-time • Self-employed/Independent contractor • Temporary • Wage labour Hiring Employment counsellor • Application • Background Check • Cover letter • Drug testing • Contract • Interview • Job hunting • Job fraud • Probation • Referral • Recruiter (Employment agency • Executive search) • Résumé/Curriculum Vitæ (CV) • Work-at-home scheme • Selection criteria Roles Internship • Job • Numerary • Permanent • Permatemp • Supernumerary • Supervisor • Volunteer Attendance Break • Career break • Furlough • Gap year • Leave of absence • Long service leave • No call, no show • Sabbatical • Sick leave Schedules 35-hour workweek • Eight-hour day • Flextime plan • Four-day week • Overtime • Retroactive overtime • Shift work • Telecommuting • Workweek • Working time Wages Living wage • Maximum wage • Minimum wage (Canada, USA, Hong Kong) • Overtime rate • Paid time off • Performance-related pay • Salary • Salary cap • Working poor Benefits Annual leave • Sick leave • Parental leave • Health insurance • Life insurance • Disability insurance • Take-home vehicle Health & safety Ergonomics • Industrial injury • Occupational disease • Occupational health psychology • Sick building syndrome • Work accident (Occupational fatality) • Workplace noise • Workplace stress • Workplace wellness • Work-life balance • Workers' compensation Equality Affirmative action • Equal pay for women Infractions Employee handbook • Evaluation • Labour law • Sexual harassment • Sleeping while on duty • Workplace bullying • Workplace surveillance Willingness Anti-work • Job satisfaction • Refusal of work • Workaholic • Work aversion • Work ethic • Wage slavery Termination At-will employment • Constructive dismissal • Dismissal • Layoff • Letter of resignation • Resignation • Retirement • Severance package • Types of unemployment • Unemployment • Unemployment benefits • Wrongful dismissal Miscellaneous Dead end job • Overqualification • Recession-proof job • Underemployment • Unemployment rates

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