It comes as a shock to many Americans, who take for granted that they can stay home from work when they are sick, that 40 to 44 million of their fellow workers don’t have a single paid sick day. In fact, 38 percent of private sector U.S. employees have no paid sick time according to government statistics. Even fewer workers can take time off if their child or another family member is sick.

 

 

The good news is that organizations and individuals around the country who care about workers and their families, who care about public health and who believe in basic employment rights are working to change this.

Success Stories (stay tuned for updates!)

• 2006 -- San Francisco Voters Pass Paid Sick Days
• 2008 -- District of Columbia Approves Paid Sick Days
• 2008 -- Milwaukee Voters Overwhelmingly Pass Paid Sick Days
• 2011 -- Connecticut Becomes First State to Pass Paid Sick Days
• 2011 -- Philadelphia City Council Passes Paid Sick Days
• 2011 -- Seattle City Council Passes Paid Sick Days with Mayoral Support
• 2013 -- Portland, Oregon City Council Unanimously Passes Paid Sick Days with Mayoral Support
• 2013 -- Philadelphia City Council Again Passes Paid Sick Days by an Overwhelming Margin (pending mayoral action)
• 2013 -- New York City Council Reaches Agreement on Paid Sick Days Bill (more updates soon!)

Federal Paid Sick Time

The Healthy Families Act (H.R. 1286 / S. 631) has been reintroduced in the House and Senate.  The bill would guarantee workers the right to earn up to 7 paid sick days a year to address their own health needs or to care for a sick family member.

• TAKE ACTION! Urge Congress to support The Healthy Families Act.
• Op-Ed: Sick Leave Is Essential For The Workforce, Senator Tom Harkin, Politico (February 2012)
• Fact Sheet: The Healthy Families Act, National Partnership for Women and Families (May 2011)
• Report: The Need for Paid Sick Days - The Lack of a Federal Policy Further Erodes Family Economic Security, Economic Policy Institute (June 2011)
• Report: Expanding Access to Paid Sick Leave: The Impact of the Healthy Families Act on America's Workers, U.S. Congress Joint Economic Committee (March 2010)
• Editorial: The Cost of Staying Home Sick, New York Times (May 4, 2009)
• Reforming rules for Federal contracting is another way to ensure that more workers have paid sick time to care for themselves or their loved ones.  Read an open letter urging President Obama to pursue such reforms.

Kin Care Laws

Among private sector workers who do have access to paid sick time, only 30% can use that time to care for a sick child.  Nine states and the District of Columbia have passed legislation to address this problem, allowing workers who have paid sick time to use that time to care for a sick family member.  Click here to learn more about kin care laws around the country.

Get Involved

The movement for paid sick time is growing.  Local campaigns are sprouting up around the country and A Better Balance is providing legal advice and support.

Find out what’s happening in your community.

• Alaska
• California
• Connecticut
• Denver
• Georgia
• Illinois
• Maine
• Maryland
• Massachusetts
• Miami, Florida
• Minnesota
• New Jersey
• New York City
• North Carolina
• Orange County, Florida
• Philadelphia
• Portland, Oregon
• Seattle
• Vermont
• Washington, D.C.

Tools and Resources for Paid Sick Time Campaigns

A Better Balance has developed helpful tools and information to assist your paid sick days campaign.   Click here for more.

For more information check out the National Partnership for Women and Families and Family Values at Work.