Data from a new national survey reveal seven in 10 women working in the fast food industry say they have gone to work with symptoms of illness. Only 14 percent of women in the industry, and a mere 6 percent of women who are paid less than $9 per hour, say they have access to paid sick days. 

This week marks the start of open enrollment under the Affordable Care Act – a historic advance that has made more affordable, comprehensive health insurance coverage available to millions more consumers. But increasing access to health coverage addresses only one barrier to health care in this country. Paid sick days access is essential too. 

The St. Paul City Council unanimously approved a paid sick days ordinance on September 7. When fully implemented, the law will guarantee approximately 68,300 additional private sector workers in the city the right to earn paid sick time. This is the second paid sick days win in Minnesota this year, following Minneapolis’s victory in May. Advocates now have their sights set on making Duluth next.  

New data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reveal that the tireless work of paid sick days advocates and thoughtful lawmakers across the country is making a real difference. Sixty-four percent of private sector workers can now earn paid sick time, compared to 61 percent in 2015. That is the highest share on record – and it means millions more workers have gained access to paid sick days.

Chicago took a major step toward becoming the 34^th jurisdiction in the country with a paid sick days law today, following unanimous approval by the city council. Mayor Rahm Emmanuel has pledged to sign the ordinance. When it takes effect on July 1, 2017, more than 460,000 workers will newly gain the right to earn paid sick time. And the nation’s three most populous cities will guarantee this common sense protection. 

2016 is off to a good start for many workers who used to lack access to paid sick days. On January 1, Oregon’s statewide paid sick days bill took effect. On January 6, a paid sick days law in New Brunswick, New Jersey, took effect. And today, Spokane, Wash., passed a paid sick days ordinance. 

It’s been an exciting week for paid sick days! Yesterday, Elizabeth, New Jersey, became the 10th city in the state to pass a paid sick days law. And last week, the Jersey City Council voted to expand the city’s paid sick days law. This is tremendous progress, but hundreds of thousands of workers in the state still cannot earn a single paid sick day. 

We have seen undeniable paid sick days progress at the state and local levels in recent years, but working people in 41 states still have neither statewide protections nor any local protections. Fact sheets released by the National Partnership for Women & Families last week explore the impact of this lack of paid sick days across the country.

Last Friday, June 12 , nearly half of all private sector workers in Oregon woke up hoping that a case of the flu, strep throat or some other common and contagious illness wouldn’t force them to choose between staying home to recover or care for a sick child and the jobs and wages they need to put food on the table.

Earlier this spring, a bipartisan majority of U.S. senators voted in favor of a nonbinding paid sick days budget amendment. For paid sick days advocates, this promising development was a unique opportunity for action and accountability. Today, the work to turn that symbolic vote into meaningful support continues.

Cross-posted from the Huffington Post. It’s clear that America’s families, lawmakers and employers are ready for action to advance paid sick days and paid leave policies. The Obama administration’s new effort, combined with continued progress in jurisdictions and at individual companies like Microsoft, will make that even clearer.