Paid sick leave on the ballot in several states in November

VOTERS IN THREE STATES –  MISSOURI, NEBRASKA AND ALASKA – WILL GO TO THE POLLS IN NOVEMBER AND DECIDE WHETHER  TO MANDATE PAID SICK LEAVE FOR WORKERS:

THE ISSUE GAINED STEAM DURING THE COVID PANDEMIC.

EMPLOYEES, WHO DO NOT HAVE ACCESS TO SUCH A BENEFIT, ARE SEEKING CHANGE.  PART-TIME AND LOWER-WAGE WORKERS  ARE LESS LIKELY TO HAVE SUCH COVERAGE.

WITHOUT SICK LEAVE, SOME WORKERS ARGUE THEY HAVE TO CHOOSE BETWEEN THEIR FINANCIAL AND PHYSICAL HEALTH, MEANING : THEY GO INTO WORK, WHEN SICK BECAUSE THEY DO NOT WANT TO LOSE OUT ON PAY.

IF PAID SICK LEAVE PASSES, WORKERS WOULD BE COMPENSATED, BASED ON HOW MUCH TIME THEY HAVE ACCRUED AND THEIR JOBS WOULD BE HELD FOR THEM, WHEN THEY ARE **OUT SICK** OR CARING FOR A FAMILY MEMBER.

EACH STATE WOULD HAVE DIFFERENT POLICIES.

IN THE MISSOURI CASE, BUSINESSES WOULD BE REQUIRED TO PROVIDE ONE HOUR OF PAID SICK TIME FOR EVERY 30 HOURS WORKED.  THE MAXIMUM WOULD BE FIVE-DAYS-A-YEAR FOR EMPLOYEES OF SMALL BUSINESSES AND SEVEN-DAYS-A YEAR FOR LARGER COMPANIES OF 15 PEOPLE OR MORE.

RICHARD VON GLAHN, IS THE CAMPAIGN MANAGER OF MISSOURIANS FOR HEALTHY FAMILIES AND FAIR WAGES.  HE SAID “ EVERYBODY GETS SICK.  EVERYBODY HAS A CHILD OR SOMEONE THEY CARE FOR THAT GETS SICK, BUT WHEN THERE’S AN UNEQUAL ABILITY TO CARE FOR YOURSELF OR CARE FOR YOUR FAMILY, THAT IS UNJUST.”

14 STATES AND WASHINGTON D.C. CURRENTLY HAVE PAID SICK LEAVE.  IN ADDITION, THE FEDERAL FAMILY AND MEDICAL LEAVE ACT OF 1993,  REQUIRES MOST EMPLOYERS TO PROVIDE **UNPAID** LEAVE TIME FOR CERTAIN SITUATIONS LIKE AFTER THE BIRTH OF A CHILD OR A LONG-TERM ILLNESS .

SOME BUSINESS GROUPS  INCLUDING CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE HAVE SAID PAID SICK LEAVE CONSTITUTES A MANDATE, GOVERNMENT OVERREACH AND it SHOULD BE UP TO BUSINESS OWNERS TO DECIDE WHETHER TO PROVIDE SUCH A BENEFIT TO ITS WORKERS.  FOR MORE UNBIASED UPDATES DOWNLOAD THE STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS AP