Yesterday, advocates in New York City rallied in favor of paid sick days legislation next to the carriage horses in Central Park.
What’s the connection to the horses? It’s because in April, the New York City Council voted to give city carriage horses five weeks of annual vacation — and yet, after two hearings and ample time for study, the City Council has yet to vote on the New York City Paid Sick Time Act, which would give paid time off to sick humans.
Even the horses look perplexed at the vote’s hold-up.
The Paid Sick Time Act currently has a veto-proof majority of support in the Council (36 of the Council’s 51 members are co-sponsors, including the chair of the Labor Committee), but Council Speaker Christine Quinn has not yet allowed the bill to be brought to the floor. The legislation would allow workers to earn one hour of sick leave for every thirty hours worked, up to nine days per year for workers in larger businesses and up to five days per year for workers in smaller businesses. The paid sick days could be used when a worker or a worker’s child or close relative is ill or needs routine medical care.
The Central Park rally was sponsored by A Better Balance, Make the Road New York, Restaurant Opportunities Center New York, and the Working Families Party, who lead the coalition supporting the Paid Sick Time Act.
