Why American workers should get paid sick days.
By Matt Singer
Friday December 8, 2006
Is there something pathological about Americans that we like to make it horribly expensive to get sick? In addition to not addressing the uninsured crisis we punish people who get sick.
Unlike our counterparts in most developed nations, American workers are not allowed to get sick. Many American workers, especially the middle-class and working-class, have no paid sick days under their employment policies, because they are not mandated by law.
Work as a server at a restaurant and catch the flu? Your options are pretty much give up your pay or spread the disease to all your tables (it’s just karma for the ones who don’t tip well, right?). For most workers, giving up pay is not a real option. Rent has to be paid at the end of the month. Food has to be put on the table.
And what about the single parent with a sick child? Is he supposed to go to work and leave a sick kid at home or skip work and lose the income that would pay for his child’s medicine? Or should he go to work and send his sick child to school to infect other children?
These are common problems, because in addition of the tens of millions of American workers who have no paid sick days, additional tens of millions cannot use theirs to care for a sick family member. (The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) requires businesses to provide up to 12 weeks of leave per calendar year for employees who get sick, or who have a sick loved one. However, the time is unpaid and the law only applies to businesses that employ more than 50 people.)
The costs for the economy are high. Workers who choose to show up while under-the-weather suffer from low productivity, can spread their disease co-workers and clients, and generally hurt business. In most cases, the business is literally better off if the worker stays home.
That doesn’t stop business owners from making a range of excuses for why paid sick days are an awful idea. Some claim that it is tough to find a replacement worker. That, of course, is a blatant admission that the employer thinks sick people should be working.
The sharper ones point out that paying both workers when they are not present and the temps or co-workers who fill in for the ill workers incurs costs for business. But not providing paid sick days means workers are less likely to take the time off, since an unpaid day of leave can be a big deal for people living month-to-month. When those workers show up, they tend to be unproductive anyway, so not offering paid sick days leaves you with sick workers who also incur costs.
Fortunately, this issue is moving to the front-burner. Chris Hayes recently wrote for The Nation that “[a]fter raising the minimum wage, economic justice priority number two for the Democratic congress should be mandating paid sick days for all workers.” The new Congress might be willing to move on this issue, but the National Federation of Independent Business is already encouraging a filibuster. Other than the filibuster, the biggest problem facing proponents may be misinformation: A large majority of Americans already assume the law requires employers to offer paid sick days.
Action is far more likely—as it is with most issues—to come from the states, where various forms of sick day legislation have advanced in recent years. These are some of the options being explored:
Already, campaigns are expected in Maine, Maryland, Montana, and other states. No doubt these efforts will face local opposition. But opponents may also come to the same realization as the Golden Gate Restaurant Association, which decided not to waste resources fighting a recent paid sick days ballot initiative in San Francisco (the measure passed overwhelmingly). Dan Scherotter, their vice president, told the press, “It polls too high. I mean if you ask people, ‘Would you like more sick pay,’ everybody is going to say yes. And to be honest, if we fight it, we look like complete jerks.”
All the more reason for progressives to bring this fight.
Matt Singer is the Communications Director for the Progressive States Network and has been a contributor to CampusProgress.org since its inception.
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Comments
Regarding Matt Singer’s article calling for all employers to pay sick employees for their time off, a few thoughts come to mind.
His comment about business owners “claiming” that it is difficult to find replacement workers; well – if you have someone in which you have invested training and they have developed their skills within your organization, then should we assume that a temp from OfficeTeam or Manpower is the obvious replacement?
Also – how many days would be acceptable to pay for an individual who is sick? Should an employer just set aside some infinite amount of funds and pay for every day he/she is sick or might a company be allowed to set a aximum number? Should an employer continually pay for a smoker who frequently develops bronchitis, or would refusing somehow be disrespectful?
Let’s face it – some people have actual health problems and then there are those that don’t make an effort to maintain good health. Should an employer really be required to pay for those who abuse their bodies? And no, I will not respond to the “everything is beyond my control” argument. Most often, good health is the consequence of healthy living, and many times, poor health is quite avoidable.
In return for some sick pay, would it be okay for an employer to require employees to take reasonable measures to maintain reasonably good health, such as a regular exercise program? Does the employee have a responsiblity to ensure his/her health? We surely cannot consider such a whacky approach, given current confidentiality laws (and realizing that some quack or pharmaceutical company will bribe someone at the FDA to classify another lazy habit as a disease – should an employer pay for those with “restless legs?”)
Would it be alright for a company to give each employee X amount of days off each year, to use for either holidays or sick time, or just to sleep, if the employee chooses. I think this is a fair policy, rather than requiring employers to pay an employee each time he/she gets sick.
One last note: If I don’t get sick – can I still cash in on some of those sick days…or should it become my community service as a responsible citizen to donate my sick time to those who do get sick.
— Bryce Bonet - Dec 30, 02:56 AM - #I have worked for my employer for almost 7 year in march ,03 2007. I gave him 2 week notice and the reason I am leaving is because the last 3 years I have been bullyed and discriminated and disrepcted by him and the office manager. I complained many times and we had meetings about it I was promised this would stop and it didn’t. he gave a co-worker her 401 k 10 months before she was eligible and refused to give me my 1st 401 k payment beacuse he says I wasn’t eligible yet. when I was hired he said at 3 years you are eligible them said after completing the 3 years, them he said by jan you must have completed the 3 years. my last day of work is 02-07-08. my daughter was sick and I called in sick on mon 02-05-07 to take her to the Dr. then she got worse and I took her to the E.R. and she was released the next morning so I called in the next day I was even goning to go in late but the manager got mad and she told me you might as well not come back. so when I left my job I received my paycheck and they refused to pay me the 2 days I provided documentation. based on our employee contract for taking 2 sick days you may be asked for dr.‘s note. I provided the documentation. I beleive he is mad because I am leaving and maybe he wanted more than 2 weeks notice. now he’s refusing to pay me and i don’t see that he has a valid excuse.
— maria rodriguez - Feb 8, 05:35 PM - #My new employer hired me away from another job…I was up front with him about the fact that I was a single father with custody of a 1st grader…..he said it wasnt a problem…..he relocated me to another state….helped me get set up….but then 4 months later my child caught the flu…..I had to be out with him…..a week later I caught the flu…..I had to be out a agin…..when I got back I was terminated for missing too many days…..so I am unemployed in an unfamiliar area…..with a child…..and bills to pay.
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