For kids, heading back to school can be an anxious and exciting time – figuring out new routines, adjusting to different teachers and classmates and navigating changes in social and academic environments… Employed parents stress about changes too, but the millions of moms, dads and caregivers without paid sick time also have to worry about cold and flu season and what will happen if their kids get sick.
As many federal lawmakers were focused on rolling back and undermining the rights of people across the country this year, some state lawmakers considered bills aimed at helping people.
New government data show that, in just two years, the share of people working for private sector businesses in the United States who can earn paid sick time has increased dramatically – to nearly 79 million private sector workers.
As summer officially kicks off and state legislative sessions come to a close, there’s much to celebrate in the effort to increase access to paid sick days. Five new laws that will guarantee nearly two million more workers the right to earn paid sick time took effect July 1.
The Maryland Senate has approved a statewide paid sick days standard, bringing the state the closest it has ever been to joining the nearly 40 jurisdictions across the country with paid sick days laws. This is a historic advance for Marylanders, as well as advocates and lawmakers who have been working for years to secure such a standard.
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.
Capping off an already historic year of progress for paid sick days, voters in Arizona and Washington approved ballot measures last week that will mean the nation will soon have seven statewide paid sick days laws. Thirty-nine jurisdictions now do – or will soon – guarantee workers the right to earn paid sick time, and efforts to protect and build upon these victories has become even more important.
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 34th 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.
Right on schedule, the U.S. Department of Labor today proposed a rule that will ultimately give 828,000 workers who service federal contracts expanded access to paid sick time, including nearly 437,000 workers who are currently not guaranteed a single paid sick day. This is a much-needed and encouraging step toward implementing the executive order President Obama issued on Labor Day.
Today, by a vote of 81 to 64, the Vermont House of Representatives reaffirmed its support for a statewide paid sick days bill and sent the proposal to the governor, who supports it. The hard-fought victory means Vermont will soon be the fifth state in the nation to guarantee paid sick days.
Advocates and small business owners in Minneapolis are making the case for paid sick days. A new report released last week by the Main Street Alliance of Minnesota with the support of the National Partnership for Women & Families summarizes the growing body of evidence that shows paid sick days policies benefit businesses.
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.
This morning, the president will issue an executive order requiring federal contractors and subcontractors to allow all employees who work on their federal contracts to earn paid sick time. When it takes effect in 2017, an estimated 300,000 more workers will earn paid sick time.
Back-to-school season – a time when attention to what’s best for kids and schools is high – is a good time to raise awareness of the impact that a lack of paid sick days can have on children, schools and entire communities. This new fact sheet and back-to-school toolkit should help.
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.
Our new series of fact sheets put into stark relief just how much access to paid sick days in this country still depends on where you live and the job you hold.
