Paid sick leave pushed for low-income workers

[one...two...tree 2,762]

By Tony Pugh | McClatchy Newspapers

WASHINGTON — Fresh off passage of a sweeping health care overhaul, the Obama administration is supporting legislation to provide mandatory paid sick leave for more than 30 million additional workers who are some of nation's lowest-paid employees.

The Healthy Families Act, sponsored by Sen. Christopher Dodd, and Rep. Rosa DeLauro, both Democrats from Connecticut, would require companies that have 15 or more employees to provide one hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked or up to seven sick days a year for a full-time worker.

Both bills — HR 2460/S1152 — are stuck in committee and haven't yet faced a vote. In fact, most legislative action has come at the state and municipal level. In recent years, California, Ohio, Maine and New Jersey have considered bills requiring paid sick leave. San Francisco and Washington, D.C., have passed laws that require it for private-sector employees. New York City is debating a similar measure.

Top Obama administration officials voiced their support for the federal proposal this week in separate appearances with women's and family rights advocates who've gathered in Washington to lobby for the bills.

Groups such as the Institute for Women's Policy Research and the National Partnership for Women and Families say the proposal would provide an overdue measure of economic and workplace justice.

Only 25 percent of low-wage workers have paid sick leave, which makes it a financial hardship for them to get sick and miss work. Those who do stay home to heal or to tend to a family member's illness fear that they could lose their jobs if they miss too many days.

Read more: http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2010/04/27/92996/paid-sick-leave-pushed-for-low.html#ixzz0mROC8YUU

[Heracles 417]

It's honestly laughable to see you post this but in the same breath want limitless illegal aliens to come here.

At least make up your mind. Do you want to help Americans in poverty or Mexicans? Cannot have it both ways and you should know why. They will simply fire them and hire illegals to take their place; which has been our argument against IA all along.

[Ban Hammer 13,401]

maybe that bill will change things where i work. currently, we get 2 weeks of leave a year. of course, that leave is also our sick leave. so if one is sick 2 weeks of the year, they have no leave.

[Usui Takumi 1,562]

I get two weeks vacation and 14 days of PTO, my third week was suspended because funds

[Obama 2012 1,714]

Yes, let's intrude into the private sector even more.....

For many small businesses, there's no way in hell they could afford this for every employee without letting a few people go... So many work on very small margins.

No one ever thinks of the consequences of things like this....