How Do Sick Days Impact Learners?

A recent article in the Chicago Sun reported that "Forty percent of employed U.S. adults, or about 51 million people, get no paid sick days, forcing them to choose between a paycheck and time off", according to a report from the Institute for Women's Policy Research.  

Today, the U.S. Department of Labor announced that Vermont has taken action to provide paid sick leave for their working families.  This means that thousands of families won't have to choose between taking care of their health, and getting paid by their employer.  Using the Twitter hashtag, , Vermont is leading the way in a social media campaign calling on Congress to provide this basic security to all Americans. 

According to Adrian Saenz, Deputy Director of Intergovernmental Affairs at The White House, "until Congress acts, other states should follow Vermont’s lead -- because giving hardworking Americans a fair shot to get ahead is the right thing to do".

Questions: How does a lack of paid sick leave affect your learners, and your program attendance?  Will you advocate for your state to follow Vermont's lead?

Best,

Mike Cruse

Disabilities in Adult Education Moderator

michaelcruse74@gmail.com

Comments

Hi Mike:

This is a great topic, Mike.  Here is some state-by-state data (and, in some cases city or county data) and definitions of who/what is covered.  I'm also wondering how programs stay in touch with students that need to stop out due to personal or family illness.  And, do you (teachers and other program staff) make plans (if possible) with students who leave through self-study with "study packets," links for online learning, or other strategies?

Cynthia

The following article from the LA Progressive, LA Workers Sick of Wage Theft: City Should Pass a Local Paid Sick Days Law, draws out an important concern in states that are implementing higher minimum wages.  

The following is excerpted from this article:

Los Angeles earned the dubious honor of being named the nation’s “wage theft capital” after a 2010 study found that more than $26.2 million are stolen from low-wage workers in the county each week.The study found significant numbers of workers being paid below the minimum wage, denied meal breaks, and cheated out of overtime pay. So, when the City of Los Angeles passed its $15 minimum wage last year, the inclusion of strong anti-wage theft provisions in the ordinance was one of the most important victories for working families.

This new law comes with a new opportunity for unscrupulous employers to steal employees’ wages. Once a sick time law is in place, employers are engaging in wage theft when they fail to pay workers for sick time, prevent workers from taking sick time when they need it, or retaliate against workers who take sick time by cutting their hours. While the state’s Division of Labor Standards Enforcement is taking important steps toward ensuring this law is meaningfully enforced, its resources are limited and staff capacity is stretched.

A growing number of cities are recognizing that wage theft and sick time violations go hand in hand.  Seattle’s City Council recently approved legislation that strengthens enforcement provisions for the city’s labor laws and “harmonizes” the provisions of its Paid Sick and Safe Time (PSST) Ordinance with its wage theft ordinance.  In Washington, D.C., City Council passed an amended wage theft law in 2014 with many provisions extending to unpaid sick time, strengthening the District’s enforcement capacities.

Question:  Do you know what your city or county policy is regarding paid sick time and time off?

Mike Cruse

Disabilities in Adult Education Moderator

michaelcruse74@gmail.com