“The U.S. Senate’s vote today to pass a paid sick days budget amendment is a milestone and sign of progress in establishing family friendly workplace policies at the federal level. To see 61 senators – Democrats and Republicans – go on record in support of paid sick days is a clear sign that elected officials are hearing from their constituents and taking note of the many cities and states that are adopting paid sick days laws, which are working well for businesses, economies, workers and families. This is a testament to all of the great work happening nationwide to increase access to this common sense policy, which is still out of reach for the nearly 43 million workers in this country who cannot earn a single paid sick day.

The National Partnership commends Senator Murray (D – Wash.) for championing the amendment and the senators who stood up for families, businesses and our economy today by voting for it. We encourage all of them to co-sponsor and support the Healthy Families Act, which would establish the national paid sick days standard the country needs. Twenty-one* jurisdictions now have, or will soon have, laws that guarantee paid sick days, but too many workers and their families still struggle without them, despite the fact that 81 percent of voters say they want lawmakers to consider new laws like paid sick days. It is past time for members of Congress to show that they understand, just as some senators did today, by passing the Healthy Families Act and making sure today’s vote is not empty symbolism.”

The National Partnership convenes a broad and diverse coalition that supports the Healthy Families Act. More information can be found at www.PaidSickDays.org.

* Paid sick days laws are or will soon be in place in 21 jurisdictions across the country. Three states: Connecticut (enacted 2011, effective 2012), California (enacted 2014, effective 2015) and Massachusetts (enacted 2014, effective 2015). And 18 cities: San Francisco (enacted 2006, effective 2007) and Oakland (enacted 2014, effective 2015), Calif.; Washington, D.C. (enacted and effective 2008 and expanded 2014); Seattle (enacted 2011, effective 2012) and Tacoma (enacted 2015, effective 2016), Wash.; Portland (enacted 2013, effective 2014) and Eugene (enacted 2014, effective 2015), Ore.; New York City (enacted 2013, expanded and effective 2014); Bloomfield (enacted and effective 2015), East Orange, Irvington, Jersey City, Montclair, Newark, Paterson, Passaic and Trenton, N.J. (all enacted in 2013 and 2014, effective in 2014 or 2015); and Philadelphia, Pa. (enacted and effective 2015).