For decades, the country’s workers have benefited tremendously from the NAACP’s work to advance civil rights and promote economic security. That’s why it’s no surprise that the group has supported the Healthy Families Act and the federal paid sick days standard it would establish. Last month, it reinforced this commitment when its board of directors adopted a resolution in support of paid sick days efforts happening at the state and local levels, as well as state and federal paid leave insurance proposals.
This exciting news means that the effort to secure paid sick days and paid leave for all workers has grown even stronger. As Mr. Hilary Shelton, the director of the NAACP Washington Bureau and the senior vice president for advocacy and policy, said:
“The NAACP is proud to reaffirm its strong support for the Healthy Families Act, as well as its support for similar state and local paid sick days campaigns, and efforts at the state and federal levels, to create paid family and medical leave insurance programs to ensure that all workers have access to a portion of their usual income when serious personal or family health conditions arise or new children arrive.
Given that a disproportionate number of racial and ethnic minority workers do not have paid sick leave for themselves, and even fewer can afford to take time off to care for a sick child or close family member or for the arrival of a new child, we are compelled to take action. The absence of paid sick time and family leave forces Americans to make untenable choices between needed income and jobs on the one hand and caring for a sick or injured family member on the other. This is a choice that no one should have to make.”
We are thrilled that the NAACP is on board and look forward to the collaboration and future success it will bring!
