“Mayor Nutter’s decision to deny more than 100,000 working people in Philadelphia the right to earn paid sick days is disturbing and short-sighted — and it shows blatant disregard for the will and well-being of city residents. By vetoing for a second time a policy that has been shown to benefit working families, businesses, the public’s health and local economies, he has once again chosen special business interests over what is best for the city.

Now, the future of this bill is in the hands of the City Council. It has twice demonstrated its commitment to Philadelphia residents by voting for this common sense measure. We urge councilmembers to override the mayor’s veto. By doing so, they will keep tens of thousands of Philadelphians from losing critical income or their jobs when common illnesses inevitably strike.

If the City Council overrides Mayor Nutter’s veto, Philadelphia will become the fifth city in the nation to guarantee workers the right to earn paid sick days, joining San Francisco, Washington, D.C., Seattle, and Portland, Oregon. The state of Connecticut, too, has a paid sick days law in place, and a deal announced in New York City last week paves the way for close to a million workers there to be able to earn paid sick days. At the federal level, leaders are proposing a paid sick days standard that would meet the fundamental needs of workers and their families across the country.

Philadelphia already guarantees that people who work for businesses that contract with the city can earn paid sick days. Making it a citywide standard is a logical and much-needed next step.

Mayor Nutter’s action today is disappointing, but it is not the end of the effort to ensure Philadelphians can earn the paid sick days they need. The Coalition for Healthy Families and Workplaces, along with workers, businesses and advocates, are more committed than ever to making paid sick days a reality for Philadelphians. It is only a matter of time before it is.”