Paid Sick Leave Overdue

The Paid Sick and Safe Days Act - introduced in DC City Council earlier this year - would give hundreds of thousands of DC workers a minimum of ten paid days per year. Workers who have been penalized for taking time off will testify at this afternoon's hearing. "This legislation would provide all workers with the ability to take small amounts of time off to deal with critical needs," says Karen Minatelli, DC Employment Justice Center's Director of Policy. "When employees have the option of taking a job-protected paid sick day, we will be one step closer to a better, more just system for families in the nation's capital. With this legislation, everyone wins - employees, businesses, and the community at large," Minatelli adds. Similar legislation has been passed in San Francisco and introduced recently in 11 states and in the US Senate.