BILL: Should We Get Gov. Mandated Paid Sick Leave? - Healthy Families - Act H.R.3409
Tell your reps to support or oppose this bill
The Bill
H.R.3409 - Healthy Families Act
Bill Details
- Sponsored by Rep. Rosa L. DeLauro (D-Conn.) on May 17, 2023
- Co-sponsored by over 40 lawmakers, including Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.)
- House - Education and the Workforce; House Administration; Oversight and Accountability
- House: Not yet voted
- Senate: Not yet voted
- President: Not yet signed
Bill Overview
- Ensures the U.S. joins almost every industrialized nation in guaranteeing paid sick leave to its workers. Currently, 34 million workers lack any paid sick time at all – including 25% of the private sector workforce and 9% of the public sector workforce.
- Allows workers in businesses with 15 or more employees to earn up to seven job-protected paid sick days each year.
- Provides a simple method for calculating accrued sick time. Workers would earn a minimum of one hour of paid sick time for every 30 hours worked, up to 56 hours per year, unless the employer selects a higher limit.
- Expands eligibility to cover all workers who have earned at least $2,000 in income in the past two years, whether or not they are subject to Social Security taxes. Previously, only workers subject to Social Security taxes would have been eligible for paid leave benefits.
What's in the Bill?
Covers broad health needs
- Allow workers who are victims of domestic violence, stalking, or sexual assault to use their paid sick days to recover or seek assistance related to an incident.
- Workers can use the leave to recover from their own illnesses, access preventive care, and provide care to a sick family member.
- Workers can use the paid leave to attend school meetings related to a child’s health condition or disability.
Addresses gaps in sick leave
- Nearly one in four employed mothers return to work within two weeks of giving birth, and one in five retirees have left the workforce earlier than planned to care for an ill family member.
- Over 2 million women have left the U.S. workforce since the start of the pandemic because they could not balance work and family responsibilities. Employers who provide paid sick leave see 25% less turnover in their workforce.
Focuses on public health
- Workers without paid sick leave are three times more likely to delay or forgo necessary health care compared to working adults with paid sick days.
- Workers with paid sick leave are 28% less likely to suffer nonfatal occupational injuries.
- Universal paid sick days would result in cost savings of $1.1 billion per year, including $500 million in savings for public health insurance programs like Medicare and Medicaid.
What Supporters Are Saying
- Endorsed by over 120 organizations, including the Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen, MomsRising, Family Values at Work, Paid Leave For All, and the National Partnership for Women & Families.
- Sanders said:
“It is time to end this absurdity. It is time for the United States to join nearly every other major country in the world and finally guarantee paid sick leave. In the richest country in the history of the world, it is a total disgrace that millions of workers are having to choose between their job and caring for their family."
“Right now, the United States does not guarantee workers a single paid sick day, and many are not even entitled – under law – to unpaid time. Not even one day. That is shameful."
“Without universal paid leave, millions of Americans must choose between their livelihood and the health and well-being of themselves and their families. After ten years fighting for paid leave, we are still the only industrialized nation without this essential program."
Tell your reps to support or oppose this bill
-Emma Kansiz
(Photo Credit: Canva)
The Latest
-
Women Are Shaping This Election — Why Is the Media Missing It?As we reflect on the media coverage of this election season, it’s clear that mainstream outlets have zeroed in on the usual read more... Elections -
Your Share of the National Debt is ... $105,000The big picture: The U.S. federal deficit for fiscal year 2024 hit a staggering $1.8 trillion, according to the Congressional read more... Deficits & Debt -
Election News: Second Trump Assassination Attempt, and Poll UpdatesElection Day is 6 weeks away. Here's what's going on in the polls and the presidential candidates' campaigns. September 24 , read more... Congress Shenanigans -
More Women Face Pregnancy-Related Charges After Roe’s Fall, Report FindsWhat’s the story? A report released by Pregnancy Justice, a women's health advocacy group, found that women have been read more... Advocacy
Climate & Consumption
Health & Hunger
Politics & Policy
Safety & Security
All Workers need some sick leave. Shared responsibilty with buisness's and help if neede by the government.
If you really want to cry, read this:
"98 countries guarantee one month or more of paid sick days. Many high-income economies require employers to provide paid sick days upwards of 10 days, including: the Netherlands, Ireland (from 2026), Switzerland, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, and Singapore."
Congress, looking for ideas? Here you go:
https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/countries-with-paid-sick-leave
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sick_leave#
Forget MAGA...we need to MAG....we're behind!!!!
Big businesses should pay for at least 8 days of sick leave each year for their workers, not the government . Small businesses should be able to have the government help out.
This very late but final the U.S. might meet the standard every other democratic country has set on Sick Leave.
NO ONE should be forced to suffer more because they are sick or injured because their employers are jerks!
The US is the only developed country without paid sick leave except during COVID or at the state level in 16 states & DC (AZ, CA, CO, CT, MA, MD, ME, NJ, NM, NV, NY, RI, OR, VT, WA) unless provided by private sector businesses.
There is no federal law on paid sick leave but the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) may allow eligible employees to take up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave for certain health-related situations. 77% of private sector businesses currently provide paid sick leave but only half of those working in hospitality and leisure industry have paid sick leave.
As a result 62% of US workers work while sick which affects colleagues and customers.
"Most nations within the European Union have the best sick pay benefits in the world. However, Japan, Canada and Australia make provisions for employees to receive 66%, 55%-80%, or 100% of their pay."
"The United States...is the only developed country that doesn’t offer any guaranteed sick days. So far, this only existed during the Covid-19 pandemic that led to the 2020 quarantines. California, New York, and other states may have permanent paid sick leave plans, however."
"the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 77% of US workers in the private sector had access to paid sick leave in March 2022. This figure varies depending on the industry, and, in fact, 53% of people working in the leisure and hospitality sector have paid sick time. "
"62% of US workers claim that they have worked while sick, and 92% said that they do so because they cannot afford to take an unpaid sick day."
https://workforce.com/news/paid-sick-leave-laws-by-state
https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/countries-with-paid-sick-leave
As long as the "leave" is ordered by a doctor, paid "sick leave" should exsist. Businesses, large and small can darn well take the loss of a few cents in their profits. Tax the wealthiest and spend the money wisely and all will be well.
Anybody else notice that our MAGA friends on here never show up for these posts about actual legislation?
I guess because they don't believe in that...they just want an autocratic president to come in and make a lot of empty promises that won't turn into bills...
Yes, this is another way in which the USA lags behind the rest of the western world. There's no reason for people to feel forced to come to work when they're sick, and companies that refuse to provide this reasonable need to their employees are both greedy and asking for their sick workers to bring those diseases to them, their other employees, and possibly their customers. It's irresponsible.
I would have thought after COVID more employers would see the need for a minimum level of paid sick time, but maybe not.
Let's get this done and provide workers with the time they need to get better and protect everyone else.
Representatives we urge you to fully support H.R.3409 - 118th Congress (2023-2024): Healthy Families Act
Congress.gov | Library of Congress, https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/3409/text?s=3&r=136
From https://www.causes.com/articles/55318-bill-get-gov-mandated-paid-sick-leave-healthy-families-act-h-r-3409
Bill Overview
Ensures the U.S. joins almost every industrialized nation in guaranteeing paid sick leave to its workers. Currently, 34 million workers lack any paid sick time at all – including 25% of the private sector workforce and 9% of the public sector workforce.
Allows workers in businesses with 15 or more employees to earn up to seven job-protected paid sick days each year.
Provides a simple method for calculating accrued sick time. Workers would earn a minimum of one hour of paid sick time for every 30 hours worked, up to 56 hours per year, unless the employer selects a higher limit.
Expands eligibility to cover all workers who have earned at least $2,000 in income in the past two years, whether or not they are subject to Social Security taxes. Previously, only workers subject to Social Security taxes would have been eligible for paid leave benefits.
What's in the Bill?
Covers broad health needs
• Allow workers who are victims of domestic violence, stalking, or sexual assault to use their paid sick days to recover or seek assistance related to an incident.
• Workers can use the leave to recover from their own illnesses, access preventive care, and provide care to a sick family member.
• Workers can use the paid leave to attend school meetings related to a child’s health condition or disability.
• Addresses gaps in sick leave
• Nearly one in four employed mothers return to work within two weeks of giving birth, and one in five retirees have left the workforce earlier than planned to care for an ill family member.
Over 2 million women have left the U.S. workforce since the start of the pandemic because they could not balance work and family responsibilities. Employers who provide paid sick leave see 25% less turnover in their workforce.
Focuses on public health
• Workers without paid sick leave are three times more likely to delay or forgo necessary health care compared to working adults with paid sick days.
• Workers with paid sick leave are 28% less likely to suffer nonfatal occupational injuries.
• Universal paid sick days would result in cost savings of $1.1 billion per year, including $500 million in savings for public health insurance programs like Medicare and Medicaid.