Stateline.org, a nonprofit organization financed by the Pew Charitable Trusts, tracks policy, political, fiscal and legal developments at the state level in all 50 states. It publishes every weekday.Efforts are growing across the country to require employers to provide paid sick leave for their workers. Advocates say it is both unfair to employees and a public health hazard to make them decide between staying at home without pay or going to work ill. The business community says such a mandate could put many companies out of business or that workers will see pay and/or other benefits shrink.
So far, San Francisco is the only jurisdiction to actually have such a statute on the books. But Stateline.org, which tracks policy and legislative action at the state level, says 10 state legislatures considered paid sick leave bills last year but none passed, and that a dozen states are considering the move again this year. In addition, an advocacy group in Ohio is seeking to put a paid sick leave referendum on the November ballot.
Growing interest in paid sick leave does not just reflect concern over workers, but the threat to coworkers and the public. "In fact, the industries with the most employees who lack paid sick days are those with the greatest exposure to the public: hotels and food services, home health care and child care," Stateline.org quotes one advocate as saying. Stateline also says an estimated 85% of food service workers have no paid sick days.
POSTED BY: D Cooper (February 20, 2008 07:00 AM)
Great Idea but as you know that no one will be at work if there are not some kind of guidelines. Employees already stay home enough just from a night of partying.
POSTED BY: J Gray (February 22, 2008 05:57 PM)
"85% of food service workers have no paid sick days." Yuck.
A maximum of 7 sick days out of 260 working days a year (no vacations or holidays in that estimate) seems like a reasonable balancing act.
POSTED BY: LMorman (June 20, 2008 02:55 PM)
Small businesses are hit hard already with CAT/payroll etc tax, increased minumum wage, workers comp, goods and services. We need to stop adding for time off for employees. This may be a good thing in the future but not NOW! This may close some small businesses, or cause downsizing!