EVERYONE GETS SICK NOT EVERYONE HAS TIME TO

EVERYONE GETS SICK. NOT EVERYONE HAS TIME TO GET BETTER. Support Paid Sick Days 1. 29. 08 www. paidsickdays. org

U. S. policies don’t provide a basic labor standard 2 No federal paid sick days policy for workers or their families Only San Francisco has a paid sick days law Only 7 states allow workers to use paid sick days to care for a sick family member: California, Connecticut, Hawaii, Maine, Minnesota, Washington and Wisconsin Workers need a minimum labor standard of paid sick days 1. 29. 08

Workers pay a price 3 Half of workers have NO paid sick days 3 in 4 low-wage workers have NO paid sick days 4 in 5 food service or hotel workers have NO paid sick days Nearly 100 million workers have NO paid sick days to care for a sick child Half of working moms miss work when a child gets sick—and a quarter don’t get paid 1. 29. 08

Without this basic labor standard… 4 “We make tough choices every day: a sick child or a demanding boss; a parent-teacher conference or a pink slip. What would you do? ” – Sonia, Staten Island, NY “When my child is sick I have to stay home. I’ve been "let go" from my last two jobs because of it. I didn’t expect to be paid for sick time, but I did expect to keep my job. ” – Sheryl, Los Angeles, CA “I can't afford to get sick. If I miss work to go to the doctor, I lose pay plus I have to come up with $60 for the office visit. ” – 1. 29. 08

We’re losing globally 5 “Countries that invest in [workers’] ability to work and raise kids are the more [economically] competitive. “ – Dr. Jody Heymann, Mc. Gill Univ. 145 countries offer paid sick days. 127 provide a week or more sick time. Better working conditions = lower family poverty rates = better health and education outcomes. 1. 29. 08

States taking on paid sick days 6 Montana Minn SF Missou ri Alaska Maine Milwaukee Vermon t Mass. Conn. Penn. Ohi Marylan o West d DC Virginia N. Carolina Florida Bills Passed Bills Introduced in 07 Bills to be Introduced in 08/09 1. 29. 08

More than a dozen state paid sick days bills 7 Bills Introduced in 2007 Bills to be Introduced Connecticut District of Columbia Florida Maine Maryland Massachusetts Minnesota Missouri North Carolina Pennsylvania Vermont Alaska Connecticut (reintroduction) Maryland (reintroduction) Maine (held over from 2007) Massachusetts (held over from 2007) Milwaukee, Wisc. Minnesota (reintroduction) Montana (in 2009) North Carolina (reintroduction) Ohio (initiated statute in 2008) Pennsylvania (reintroduction) Rhode Island West Virginia (reintroduction) 1. 29. 08

Federal legislation: Healthy Families Act 8 7 paid sick days To care for themselves or family members, and for doctor’s appointments Prorated for part-time workers Applies to business with 15+ workers Record number of cosponsors 24 in the Senate; 80 in the House 1. 29. 08

Over 130 organizations at the national level 9 Labor: AFL-CIO, SEIU, UFCW, IBT, LIUNA, UNITE/HERE, UAW, AFSCME, APALA, AFT, NEA, CWA, CLUW, LCLAA, OPEIU, Pride At Work, USW, Working America Women’s: NOW, 9 to 5, Ms. Foundation for Women, Business and Professional Women/USA (BPW), Feminist Majority, Legal Momentum, Moms. Rising Community: ACORN, Center for Community Change, Coalition on Human Needs, National Urban League Faith-Based: Interfaith Worker Justice, Church Women United, National Council of Jewish Women, NETWORK: A National Catholic Social Justice Lobby, Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations, United Church of Christ Civil Rights: Asian American Justice Center, Human Rights Campaign, Leadership Conference on Civil Rights (LCCR), MALDEF, NAACP, NCLR Health and Medical: American Public Health Association, Black Women’s Health Imperative, National Association of School Nurses, The AIDS Action Council, The AIDS Institute, Docs for Tots, Epilepsy Foundation, National Women’s Health Network Think Tanks and Progressive Research: Center for American Progress, Center for Law and Social Policy, Families. USA 1. 29. 08

Public strongly supports paid sick days 10 89% of voters favor paid sick days as a basic labor standard Support for paid sick days is strong across party lines: 94% of Democrats 90% of Independents 83% of Republicans support paid sick days. Nearly 1 in 8 said that they or an adult worker in their family had been fired or penalized by their employer for taking a sick day Source: Lake Research Partners, 9/2007 1. 29. 08

Overall, voters overwhelmingly favor a basic labor standard of paid sick days 11 Q. : Overall do you favor or oppose a basic labor standard that would guarantee all workers a minimum number of paid sick days to care for themselves or immediate family members? [If favor/oppose, Ask: Is that strongly/not so strongly favor/oppose? ] (Split sampled question) 8% 89% 3% 7% * Small n size 97% 91% 1. 29. 08

Support is equally high among men and women 12 Q. : Overall do you favor or oppose a basic labor standard that would guarantee all workers a minimum number of paid sick days to care for themselves or immediate family members? [If favor/oppose, Ask: Is that strongly/not so strongly favor/oppose? ] (Split sampled question) 6% 11% 89% 88% 1. 29. 08

Support for a basic labor standard of paid sick days crosses party lines 13 Q. : Overall do you favor or oppose a basic labor standard that would guarantee all workers a minimum number of paid sick days to care for themselves or immediate family members? [If favor/oppose, Ask: Is that strongly/not so strongly favor/oppose? ] (Split sampled question) 5% 94% 8% 12% 90% 83% 1. 29. 08

14 One in four, ages 30 – 39, say they or a family member had been disciplined for taking a sick day Q. : Have you or any other adult worker in your family ever been fired, suspended, written up or otherwise penalized by an employer for taking time off from work to care for a sick child or family member, or to cope with an illness yourself? 1. 29. 08

Looking ahead 15 State letters of support Online rally at www. Everyone. Gets. Sick. org Healthy Families Act hearing in the House New state bills in 2008 1. 29. 08

For more information 16 National Partnership for Women & Families 202 -986 -2600 www. paidsickdays. org 1. 29. 08