“Families are really struggling, and part of the reason they can’t get ahead is they lack basic protections,” said Vicki Shabo of the National Partnership for Women & Families, an advocacy group in Washington, D.C. “The challenges they’re facing are not their individual problems to face — they’re not alone. These are challenges that really sweep the country.”

“This policy is good for workers, good for business and good for the economy,” said Vicki Shabo, a vice president of the National Partnership for Women & Families, which promotes such policies.

“This policy is good for workers, good for business and good for the economy,” said Vicki Shabo, a vice president of the National Partnership for Women & Families, which promotes such policies.

It’s unclear whether other states require certain employers to provide unpaid sick days, according to the National Partnership for Women & Families.

The Montgomery County law is the country’s twenty-third paid sick days law, according to the National Partnership for Women & Families, a group of advocates for paid sick days.

“Facebook’s extraordinary announcement marks the dawn of a new day in this country,” said National Partnership for Women & Families President Debra Ness.

“Paid sick days laws are or will soon be in place in 21 places across the country and 81 percent of voters say they want lawmakers to consider new laws like paid sick days,” the National Partnership for Women & Families said in a statement. “It is past time for action at the federal level.”

Vicki Shabo, vice president of the National Partnership for Women & Families, said that “this is the time, this is the moment” to pass federal legislation on paid sick leave.”

Vicki Shabo, vice president of the National Partnership for Women & Families, said, “There was not a big lobbying effort around this amendment,” she said. “The vote was a surprise — but a very positive surprise.”

Vicki Shabo, vice president of the National Partnership for Women & Families, told Bloomberg BNA in an interview April 2 that Microsoft’s move is “an interesting first step we haven’t seen others do.”

“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,” Debra L. Ness, president of the National Partnership for Women and Families.

“This is one way of changing culture, and changing business practices, and ultimately changing public policy,” said Vicki Shabo, who oversees workplace programs at the National Partnership for Women and Families.

“At this moment in history, when we have had so many reminders that discrimination still pervades our workplaces and communities, confirmation of Lynch to serve as attorney general would send a powerful and badly needed message that lawmakers can put aside partisanship and petty squabbling when so much is at stake'” said Debra L. Ness, president of the National Partnership for Women & Families.

“Pennsylvania doesn’t really do much beyond what federal law requires, and beyond extended benefits for some state workers,” says Vicki Shabo, vice president of the National Partnership for Women & Families. Her organization gave Pennsylvania a grade of D on its report about the 50 states’ family-leave policies.

“These issues are gaining so much momentum, and we’re seeing news article after news article writing that [paid leave and paid sick days are] ‘the next big thing,’ but it’s up to the people to bring these changes to fruition,” said Vicki Shabo, vice president at the National Partnership for Women & Families.

However, the Washington-based National Partnership for Women & Families, a strong proponent for paid sick leave, cited a study that found paying a worker to stay home when sick saves employers twice as much money than paying for them to work when sick.

While the press conference was happening, Philadelphia became the 17th U.S. city to pass a local law mandating paid sick days. Three states—Connecticut, California, and Massachusetts—mandate paid sick leave as well. The bulk of these advances at the city and state level have come just in the last two years, the fruits of a decade-long grassroots campaign.

“What a difference a few years makes,” said Debra Ness, president of the National Partnership for Women and Families.

Employees without paid sick days are more likely to go to work while ill, potentially spreading infectious diseases to co-workers, according to the National Partnership for Women & Families, a proponent of sick-day legislation.

“The momentum for paid sick days is undeniable,” Debra Ness, president of the National Partnership for Women and Families, said in a news release.