Coalition for Healthy Families and Workplaces Newsletter

 
PHILADELPHIA LOBBY DAY & PRESS CONFERENCE

Come Learn More about the Need for Earned Sick Time in Philadelphia and Share Your Story with

Members of Philadelphia's City Council.

Over 41% of workers in Philadelphia have no earned sick time, while 78% of restaurant and accommodation workers are forced to choose between going to work sick, or sending a child to school sick, and losing a day's pay or possibly their job.

The Coalition for Healthy Families and Workplaces is holding a Press Conference and Lobby Day, complete with Lobby Training, to provide information for Philadelphia's City Council about the importance of earned sick time and to urge them to continue work on the Promoting Healthy Families and Workplaces Act (Bill No. 080474).

WHEN: Tuesday, October 12th

The Press Conference will take place at 1:00 PM, in the Mayor's Reception Room in City Hall, with visits to City Council Members throughout the afternoon. There will be a Lobby Training held at 123 S. Broad Street 8th Floor - Room 8B at 11:00 AM. Food will be provided. Come for the whole day or for as long as you are able to. 

You do not need to be an expert or have lobbying experience to take part in this exciting day. We will provide you with everything you need to advocate for this important issue!

For more information about the event, please contact Kate Scully at PathWays PA at 610-543-5022 or Rebecca Foley at WOMEN'S WAY at 215-985-3322.

Please join the Coalition for Healthy Families and Workplaces to give workers the ability to earn sick time to care for themselves and their families. To RSVP for this event please visit: http://earnedsicktimelobbyday.eventbrite.com.



EARNED SICK TIME STORIES


PCN Video on Need for Earned Sick Time

A new video on the need for earned sick time is now available. PCN's monthly television program "Agenda for Action" included a story on the Healthy Families Healthy Workplaces Act (HB 1830) and an interview from Tiffany Lomax about her need for earned sick time. You can view the video by clicking here.

New Video on the Need for Sick Time in Pennsylvania

Listen to workers talk about the need for earned sick time in their own words. Mothers talk about having to make a choice between working and caring for a sick child, a banquet server talks about serving food while sick, and health care worker speaks of trying to care for someone else while in incredible pain.

To listen to these and other stories please visit the Working Families Story Bank.

A special thank you to WOMEN'S WAY, a member of the Coalition that put this video together.

ACTION CENTER


Tell Your Story! Write a Letter to the Editor about the Importance of Earned Sick Time, Only Take a Minute

Have you benefited from having paid sick days or feared losing your job if you took off to care for yourself or a family member? Do you own a business where providing earned sick time has been a benefit? If so please tell your story or discuss why earned sick time is important by writing a letter to the editor of your local paper.

With our easy to use tool, it only takes one minute to write a letter to the editor of your local paper. It can be short - just three or four lines - and if you want, you can use some of the talking points we included. Your story is important - in your letter, tell people why sick time is so important to you.

Let Your Legislators Know That Earned Sick Time Is Important To You!

If you support earned sick time, please let your legislator know today!

Currently in Pennsylvania 2.2 million workers have no earned sick time, and a majority of employees without this benefit work in food service and care giving positions. When workers without earned sick time are sick, they have to choose between going to work - where they could potentially infect co-workers or customers - and staying home - where they will lose pay and possibly their jobs.

Sign Our Petition 

If you believe all Pennsylvania workers should have the chance to earn paid sick days so they can care for themselves as well as their sick children and parents, please sign our petition. The petition will be delivered to the Pennsylvania General Assembly and, if you live in Philadelphia, also to City Council - both of which are currently working on legislation to provide workers with this benefit.

Images courtesy of: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ambox_PR.svg., http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Philadelphia_City_Hall_%28from_Art_Museum%29.JP, http://micamaraenmano.blogspot.com/2008/06/con-la-cmara-en-las-manos.html