An overwhelming majority of Americans now support the growing number of laws that provide mandatory paid sick leave for workers. In April 2014, New York City will become the latest city to implement mandatory sick leave. Businesses with 20 or more employees will be required to provide five paid days off each year for employees who are ill or caring for a sick family member. Smaller businesses will have to provide five unpaid sick days. In recent years, several cities and states have adopted similar laws.
Advocates say the measures improve public health by keeping ill workers and school children at home, and protect workers from being fired for taking time off while sick. Several states, however, have passed laws that prohibit local sick leave ordinances, arguing that such laws raise costs and interfere with business decisions.
The findings come from a survey of 1,000 Americans recently conducted by FindLaw.com. The majority of people surveyed 71%, say they support mandatory sick leave laws, 19% were unsure or had no opinion, and only 10% opposed the idea.
San Francisco was the first city to implement a mandatory sick leave ordinance, which went into effect in 2007. Connecticut was the first state to pass a mandatory sick leave law, which took effect January 1, 2012. Seattle, Portland and the District of Columbia have approved similar measures, and more than 20 other cities and states are considering it. Meanwhile, Kansas, Tennessee, Mississippi, Louisiana and Arizona have banned cities from requiring private employers to provide mandatory sick leave.
Stephanie Rahlfs, Attorney-editor, FindLaw.com said, “The issue of mandatory sick leave is sparking considerable debate in cities and states across the country. It’s important for both [US] employers and employees to know which current state laws and city ordinances apply to them, as the legislative landscape is rapidly evolving.” She added, “Sick leave, which is time off with or without pay while the worker is sick or caring for an ill family member, is different from the federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and other state laws which provide for unpaid, job-protected leave for personal or family matters such as illness, pregnancy, or adoption.”
Paul Arkwright
Publisher
