Government data shows that more than 40 million U.S. workers do not have paid sick days. How many have gone to work with a contagious illness? How many send sick children to school? Do they use the emergency room more frequently than workers who do have paid sick days? Does the public support paid sick days? How much support is there for legislation to let all workers earn paid sick days?

The results of a new survey conducted by the National Opinion Research Center that answers these and other pressing questions will be released at an audio news conference at:

1 PM Eastern Daylight Time, Monday, June 21

To Join, Dial 1-800-311-9403 and use the Password, Survey10

With
Deborah Leff, President, Public Welfare Foundation
Tom W. Smith, Senior Fellow, National Opinion Research Center, University of Chicago
Debra L. Ness, President, National Partnership for Women and Families

Congress and several state and local legislative bodies are considering legislation to allow workers to earn paid sick days. On the call, Smith will detail findings from the new survey, Leff will discuss the importance of paid sick days to workers and to the public health, and Ness will discuss the status of federal, state and local initiatives to require employers to provide paid sick days. The new public opinion survey was conducted by the National Opinion Research Center (NORC) and funded by the Public Welfare Foundation. Known since its 1941 founding as the National Opinion Research Center, NORC pursues objective research that serves the public interest. NORC has offices on the University of Chicago campus, in Chicago’s downtown Loop, and in Bethesda, Maryland.

The Public Welfare Foundation is a national foundation with assets of more than $460 million that supports efforts to ensure fundamental rights and opportunities for people in need. Its primary areas of focus are Workers’ Rights, Health Reform, and Criminal and Juvenile Justice. For more information, please visit www.publicwelfare.org.