Paid Sick Days

Nearly 50% of American workers in the private sector - and three in four low-income workers – do not have a single paid sick day. Caring for a sick child or family member puts millions of workers at risk of losing pay and their jobs.

Working families and advocacy groups are taking action to advance paid sick days initiatives at the local, state, and federal level. Learn more about some of these efforts:

  • Healthy Families Act
    Currently, there are no state or federal laws that require workplaces to provide paid sick days. The Healthy Families Act, co-sponsored by U.S. Senator Edward M. Kennedy (D-MA) and Representative Rosa L. DeLauro (D-CT), would guarantee seven paid sick days per year for full-time employees and pro-rated leave to part-time workers across the nation.

  • California Paid Sick Days
    Every day, millions of California’s workers are forced to choose between a paycheck and caring for their own health and/or a sick family member. Assemblywoman Fiona Ma (D-San Francisco) has introduced the California Paid Sick Days bill (AB 2716) PDF that could make California the first state in the nation to guarantee a minimum number of paid sick days for all workers to take care of themselves or sick family members.

  • San Francisco Paid Sick Days
    On November 7, 2006 San Francisco became the first city in the country to require paid sick days for all workers in the city. San Francisco’s paid sick days ordinance guarantees that workers accrue one hour of sick leave for every 30 hours worked – full-time, part-time or temporary. All workers can take paid sick leave for themselves and to care for a child, parent, spouse, domestic partner or other designated person.
© 2007 Labor Project for Working Families