Obama admin supports legislation to provide mandatory paid sick leave for 30M+ add'l workers

[babylonsister]

* Posted on Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Paid sick leave pushed for low-income workers

By Tony Pugh | McClatchy Newspapers


WASHINGTON — Fresh off passage of a sweeping health care overhaul, the Obama administration is supporting legislation to provide mandatory paid sick leave for more than 30 million additional workers who are some of nation's lowest-paid employees.

The Healthy Families Act, sponsored by Sen. Christopher Dodd, and Rep. Rosa DeLauro, both Democrats from Connecticut, would require companies that have 15 or more employees to provide one hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked or up to seven sick days a year for a full-time worker.

Both bills — HR 2460/S1152 — are stuck in committee and haven't yet faced a vote. In fact, most legislative action has come at the state and municipal level. In recent years, California, Ohio, Maine and New Jersey have considered bills requiring paid sick leave. San Francisco and Washington, D.C., have passed laws that require it for private-sector employees. New York City is debating a similar measure.

Top Obama administration officials voiced their support for the federal proposal this week in separate appearances with women's and family rights advocates who've gathered in Washington to lobby for the bills.

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http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2010/04/27/92996/paid-sick-leave-pushed-for-low.html

[Clio the Leo]

1. kick NT

[Arkana]

2. That son of a BITCH.

He's JUST LIKE BUSH!

[Cha]

6. Righty..let's unrec the shite

out of this! }(

[Arkana]

8. Just as soon as I donate all my savings to FDL's website!

[Cha]

9. ..

:rofl: Right..so helpful.}(

[TwilightGardener]

3. K/R--this is big stuff. If you make low wages, you can't afford to be sick.

So you spread disease by dragging yourself in to work. Hope the bill goes forward.

[Cha]

7. I feel fortunate working for an org

that is non-profit and under the umbrella of the YMCA so we do get paid sick leave.

You don't have to worry about being sick and not getting paid.

[TwilightGardener]

4. Seriously--someone unrec'd helping sick workers?

[Qutzupalotl]

5. I think there's a glitch on the boards.

I've noticed that the rec count is sometimes off by two on the Greatest page vs. the post itself and the forum listing. See if you get the same discrepancy.

[Go2Peace]

10. This is good, but doesn't fix the problem

It will help, but the bigger problem: Most employers have sick leave of some kind already, but if you use it you can be fired.

Does it specifically forbid disciplinary action for sick related absences? Because if not most of these companies, who already don't want to pay for this, will just make it clear to employees that they are at risk if they use it.

[mkultra]

11. TOO SLOW AND NOT ENOUGHS

ITS CORPORAT PIGISM

[The Damned]

12. K

and, uh, also, R!

[BlooInBloo]

13. Terrible, just terrible. (sobs).

[boppers]

14. Seven days?

Well, it's a start, but seriously, only seven days?