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Photo by Laura Padgett
Yesterday, the Healthy Families Act was introduced in the House (HR 2460) with 101 original co-sponsors. Senator Ted Kennedy plans to re-introduce similar legislation in the Senate. (Senator Kennedy first introduced the Healthy Families Act in 2005, under the Bush administration.)
Under the bill, employees of businesses with 15 or more workers could earn a guaranteed paid hour of sick time for each 30 hours worked, up to 7 days per year. The current bill provides that “sick” days could be used when an employee's family member is sick and not just when the employee is sick.
While Senator Kennedy's original bill had been stagnant for years, the fact that the Healthy Families Act has garnered support recently may very well be a by-product of the recent swine flu threat. Many workers in various occupations without paid sick leave reportedly have not been able to comply with CDC guidance to stay home from work with flu symptoms, simply due to economic reasons.
The current bill is not without opposition, however. Opponents of the bill have expressed concern about the possible burden on the business community during already tough economic times.
For more information on the movement to pass paid sick leave laws in various states, including New York, check out the website of A Better Balance, a legal advocacy group dedicated to helping workers balance the demands of work and home without jeopardizing economic stability.
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