Jessica's Story - Why We Need Paid Family Leave

In August 2013, I found a lump in my breast. It came out of nowhere. I have no family history, I don’t have the BRCA gene. But, at age 29, I had an eight month old baby - and stage II breast cancer.

Over the next six months, I took FMLA and (unpaid) administrative leave from my work so I could juggle treatment and motherhood. After six rounds of chemo, a bilateral mastectomy, and 6 weeks of radiation treatment, I returned to work – only to learn three months later that the cancer had spread to my bones. My company said I needed to wait at least another three months to be able to use FMLA again, but that was time I didn’t have. After going back on administrative leave, I was later forced to terminate my employment.

I’m coming up now on my two years since my second diagnosis. My cancer has stayed in my bones, which is good, but with Stage IV cancer, treatment is always changing. I’m at the hospital for chemo every three weeks, plus scans, plus doctor’s appointments – it’s been impossible to go back to work. I get Social Security, but it is not nearly what I was making before. My husband works, but living on one income is almost impossible in this country. And he doesn’t get any paid sick days, so it’s very hard for him to take time to help me when I am sick.

Being younger and having this happen to you – we never had a chance to build up a savings account or 401K. We were planning to buy a house, and we had to use all those savings for medical bills. Sometimes it feels like we are totally scrambling and losing everything because of something I couldn’t control.

It would have meant everything to have paid family leave, or for my husband to have it now. We wouldn’t have to worry so much about cutting things for our daughter. Eloise is 3, but she can’t go to preschool because we have to pay medical bills. If my job had paid family leave, maybe I wouldn’t have had to choose between treatment and my job. I wanted to find a way to continue to work. Even if I had paid family leave just that first time I was diagnosed, maybe we would have had enough money to buy a house. We could have had child care. Our savings could still be intact.

People ask me all the time “Well, don’t you have insurance?” They don’t realize that you’re still paying out of pocket for lots of tests, lots of treatment, and a lot of your time is spent out of work and in doctor’s offices. Insurance is great, but it can only take you so far. I want to work, not to be on disability. I want to have the option of maintaining a normal life while living with chronic – yes, eventually it will be terminal, but so far it’s been chronic – illness. I would love to continue to work because my family would be in a much different financial situation and I had a really good job.

I just don’t you think you should have to go bankrupt because you’re sick.

Philadelphia Earned Sick Days Success Stories

J, an immigrant from Mauritania, works part time for two Philadelphia employers. He also needed a knee replacement. When J’s surgeon told him to bring in any forms so he could claim disability, J assumed that meant there was a disability program in the US that applied to him. After his surgery, he came to the MLCP at HC#3 because they had assisted in getting him on Medicaid and asked for help with getting these forms.

With the help of Philadelphia Legal Assistance, J called each employer and found out that they did not offer disability for their part time workers. His 2-month recovery time was too short to qualify for SSD or SSI, but because of Philadelphia’s sick time policy, he did have that option.

His employers claimed to be unaware of the new sick time law, but they agreed to give him the time he earned when they received more information about it. J was eligible for about a week of pay. It did not cover his entire absence, but it helped.

Have Philadelphia paid sick days helped you? Tell us about it!

More Reasons Why People Need Earned Sick Days

Pennsylvania Working Families asked Philadelphians why they thought the passage of a paid sick days law was important. The personal stories they shared are below.

Lauren W., 19111
“I have this working in NJ though I live in PA. In all fairness all workers should have sick leave without being threatened with losing their jobs.”

Kavita D., 19103
“Because everyone gets sick, it's human and natural, and it is a fair, humane policy to not penalize people for a natural occurrence like illness.”

Mario F., 19145
“Everyone deserves a reasonable amount of sick days for use especially when you don't want legitimately sick workers coming onto the premises. Offering sick days attracts good employees also.”

Kathryn L., 19446
Wages for unskilled workers are now so out of step with the cost of living that many Philadelphians can barely meet their basic expenses even when they are healthy. One unpaid sick day can mean losing a person's home. It makes sense that workers will come to work even when sick, spreading illness to many people they come in contact with. This has widespread consequences, especially in the restaurant industry. Increasingly, unskilled workers are denied many benefits that unionization had made standard even though these workers perform many physically demanding and stressful jobs and do the work that earns huge profits for corporations and investors. As a democracy we should be looking out for the welfare of all citizens and raising the bar for standards of living. Instead, We are devolving into a third world country in terms of worker rights and working conditions. For the sake of both workers and public health, the city should require paid sick days for all Philadelphia workers.

Crystal B., 19140
“People live from paycheck to paycheck, and may not be able to save. Every penny every hour counts towards their salvation. Missing one day could render them jobless and homeless. Please pass paid sick days.”

Amy S., 19147
“People get sick occasionally. They shouldn't have to lose a job or be put in financial hardship because of it. Besides, I really don't want a sick food service worker anywhere near my food.”

Deborah G., 19119
“When people feel compelled to come to work and handle food when they are sick because they do not have paid sick days, it presents a health hazard. I consider this a public health issue.”

George P., 19144
“Having paid sick are vital to working class people so that they can support themselves and their families financially. It is a matter of economic survival for them to pay their bills and other crucial economic needs like food and rent.”

David D., 19125
“Seems foolhardy to expect people to have 100% perfect health. We should be able to provide a reasonable buffer, so people aren't tempted to work when they have communicable illness.”

Julia B., 19135
“Paid sick days are important to me, because I am able to better take care and support my family. It makes it easier to pay my bills when I get behind. My health is very important, I work hard to ma ke it to work. When I get sick, my family should not have to.”

Susan S.
“First of all, it's morally just. And also, do we really want sick people serving our food?”

Jeri S., 19147
“I am now 80 and still must work. I get no paid sick leave, as I am considered an independent contractor. I have NEVER missed a day of work in over 9 years.”

Joanna M., 19143
“Even if everyone had impeccable health, he or she could still be at risk for becoming ill and everyone has the right to sick days without having to fear losing his or her job. In addition, a food service worker is putting others at risk if he or she has a communicable disease and comes to work.”

Kat M., 19115
“In this time and day with everything its hard to pay bills. When your sick their is nothing you can do, especially pregnant women I think should be longer than the 12 weeks they give you what can you do in 12 weeks until you recover and all its time to go back to work, its your child your trying to raise and you cant because they dont give you enough time.”

Flora W., 19146
“If people stay home when they are sick they get better sooner and they are less likely to make other people sick.”

Joe F., 19114
“Paid sick days are just a necessity for workers, and not abused as many bosses and owners would like to believe.”

Jesse B., 19146
“I have two kids and there is no substitute for being able to take care of them when i need to or myself so I don't get them sick.”

Walter F., 19119
“I don't want sick workers to spread disease in the workplace.”

Janene H., 19147
“I would not want anyone to compromise the health of our city by reporting to work when they are sick because they cannot afford take off. Everyone deserves to have a chance recover from being sick without the stress of losing pay.”

Eva Z., 19147
“Paid sick days help prevent the spread of illness to coworkers and customers.”

Laura T., 19144
“Paid sick leave is a basic need of all working individuals.”

Fermin M., 19133
“Everyone should have a right to at least 5 sick days a year because we are not robots and we do break down every now and then. Oops! Robots do break down.”

Lydia S., 19120
“Obviously no one wants a sick person making or serving their food or caring for the sick, elderly or newborn. No one should loose their housing, autos. etc. due to illness or go without food.”

Beatrice B., 19120
“I have 4 boys and I need 2 make sure that not only for myself but for them that I have paid time. Good luck.”

R. Reed, 19119
“Hardworking people deserve basic rewards. Many companies are making lots of profits and can pay for sick days.”

Michelle H., 19146
“Sick days are part of a humane treatment of this city's workforce. Plus, it helps curtail the spread of colds and viruses.”

Ruth H., 19146
“I was lucky enough to have paid sick days with my job before I retired. They can be the difference between making it and ending up on the unemployment line. Losing a job and insurance because a worker is in hospital is an outrage. No other developed country treats its citizens so poorly and them blames them for being unemployed. Shame on the city of Philadelphia and all the employers who treat employees so poorly.”

Kathleen M.
“Sick people should be allowed time for rest and recovery. Also, requiring a worker, especially a food worker to report to work when ill sounds like a sure way to spread disease.”

Jermaine S., 19153 “I'm a union plumber and we don't get paid for sick days either.”

Elizabeth A., 19104
“I do have paid sick days and I think this is necessary for anyone who works. I'm sure the CEOs of companies can be out sick without losing their job. It should be a basic benefit for employees.”

Gaya W., 19144 “People get sick and they should be able to stay home from work without feeling guilty or losing pay.”

Thomas M., 19148
“I have worked while sick before. I have almost been badly injured while doing so. It is hard to concentrate on your environment when you are concentrating just to stand up. You are less productive. Worse yet, you infect your co-workers and cause continuing disruption to the workplace. Worst of all, if you work with the public you are the gift that keeps on giving. Working while sick is counterproductive. Workers should not be penalized for being ill. There should be paid sick days.”

Mary A., 19119 “Because human beings get sick and it is wrong to punish them.”

Sameer R., 19143
“We need to not let people fall through the cracks, working themselves sick while not being able to get any time off to care for themselves or their loved ones. This isn't sustainable, nor is it humane, and we wouldn't want to put up with it at places where employees make more money. Let's not be hypocrites.”

Kimberly G., 19104
“No one should have to worry about losing their job simply because they are ill or have to take care of sick children. All workers should have the right to paid sick days and shouldn't be penalized for being ill!”

Patricia D., 19104
“I remember when I was working, I lost my daughter and was not able to work for a month. Thank God I had a boss who understood my situation and paid me the month that I missed. I never abuse time off from work. I can say I was a good worker.”

Annette P., 19146
“To prevent others from getting sick, especially people working with food and the elderly and children.”

Cynthia W., 19141
“It helps for you to maintain your house hold expenses.”

Janee F., 19128
“Given that the wages are already low for these workers and that losing just one day can cause an extreme struggle, this is something that is only morally right to have for city workers. Please pass this.”

Susan S., 19154
“I have friends and family members that can not afford to get sick without paid sick days. It is more dangerous to go to work sick and spread diseases. Some sick days are necessary.”

Ali B., 19151
“Nobody wants to be sick. It is natural phenomenon we don't have control on it. Most of the companies and govt. offices have at least one week of sick day leave with pay. Why not for the workers in Philadelphia city?”

Jacob L., 19119
“I want people who are sick and contagious to be home and not at work spreading the illness. A few or many sick days without pay can actually cause a serious and debilitating debt cycle than can be very hard to get out of when one makes not too much to begin with...”

Robert C., 19130
“I am retired so this type of law would have NO affect on me. However, the question in MY mind is - are we civilized or not. We ALL get sick sometimes. Seems to me a sick person is entitled to the support of our community when needed.”

Candice T., 19148
“Paid sick days are very important. People depend on their jobs and when we get sick Iit’s a part of nature or bodies telling us to slow down. Often it is hard to do so, or it will effect one’s income. Some people live off of pay check to pay check incomes. I'm about to have a baby in March and I am nervous about being out too long as well.”

Jacob L., 19143
“Because I'm afraid that when I have a job and then I get sick, I wouldn't have to worry about my boss firing me for something that isn't even my fault. Also, I hate the idea of people being punished for things that are not even their fault.”

Sean S., 19145
“People should not feel like they must go to work when they are sick. They just end up spreading germs to co-workers, commuters, etc.”

Mark M., 19147
“The United States lags behind all other developed countries on this issue. If we care about family values, we should care about paid sick days!”

Norman F., 19116
“I think paid sick leave is important for any employee,,,particularly low income and middle income employees. People have to take off when they or children are ill and can’t afford the loss of income.”

Juan M., 19114
“I had an accident September 2013. I had surgery on July the 14th of 2014. I am recovering, doing physical therapy. Did run out of money. i am a handyman. Still haven't paid this month’s rent. I am broke, out of money. Have nobody to borrow from. IT FELLS TERRIBLE.”

Philadelphia Airport Workers Need Earned Sick Days!

Here are some stories that have recently come in from airport workers who need earned sick days!

If you need earned sick days, share your story in the comments.

Lou D.: “Since we don’t have sick days, we don’t get paid when we call out. I take care of my whole house by myself and I don’t make enough money to miss even one day’s pay sometimes. I go to work even when I am sick.”

Tommy R.: “Not having sick days means that if I get sick and have to miss a day, I don’t get paid. We also get penalized for missing days. The pressure of not wanting to be penalized and the fact that I cant’ afford to miss any money pushes me to go to work even when I am sick. One of my biggest issues is that we work in such close quarters with each other that without sick days, we have too much potential to spread germs to one another. Our work is also so physically demanding that it is very hard to do our work properly when we are not 100% physically well.”

Sarko D.: “I am a student and I work overnight. Not having sick days not only means that I have to work while being sick, it sometimes causes me to miss class. If I call out, even if I have a doctor’s note, not only do I not receive my pay, I also receive an occurrence on my attendance record.”

Christopher V.: “Not having sick days means that when I have to call out, I don’t get paid which puts me behind on bills. We don’t get paid much to begin with and on top of that, I get written up. In September, I feared being written up because I missed two days when I was in the hospital with kidney stones. I was still passing them when I returned to work. It was very painful but I can’t afford to miss money or risk losing my job by calling out sick.”

Carlos C.: “We already don’t make enough money. Not having a paid day to recover from being sick means that you are forced to make a decision between your health and paying your bills. It feels like a form of bullying because they take advantage of the fact that we cannot afford to miss money. It’s like they say, ‘Why should we give you a sick day when we can force you to come to work?’”

Damian K.: “I have to come to work whether I am sick or health because if I call out, I will be penalized. I will get points on my record and they’ll suspend or fire me. I am irate with this system because it’s unfair to penalize me for being sick when I am not given enough time to recover from the initial illness.”

Victoria R.: “Not having sick days makes holding onto our jobs difficult. Some of us are older people with grandchildren. When we call out, we don’t get paid or are threatened with suspensions or being fired. Who will take care of our families if we aren’t allowed to?”

Allieu N.: “I have been working for (unnamed company) going on three years now. Because of our occurrence system, I cannot miss any more days. Our points never go away so no matter how sick I am, I come to work. It’s not right.”

Leula W.: We do not have sick days and we are not provided with health insurance from (unnamed company). Most of the time when we are sick we don’t go to the doctor’s because we cannot afford it. Missing these days means you get penalized and you lose your pay. Not only do we not get sick days, if you get sick or injured while you are working, (Unnamed company) will not pay you for the rest of your time. Their system is not fair.”

Mamadou T.:“(Unnamed company) does whatever they want. When I was sick, I did not get paid for the days I had to miss. It was hard for me to provide for my household. But (unnamed company) is in charge, what choice do I have?”

Denis N.: “When I have to call out, I lose money and I have children to take care of. When I lose money, I get behind on my bills. My job should not add to the normal obstacles of life.”

Seth L.: “I can’t call out sick without worrying that I could lose my job. I had an incident where I was attacked and stabbed five times. I went to work that night because I couldn’t afford to miss the money or risk being penalized for it. I pay rent weekly and I support my year old son. I need my job, but it shouldn’t cost me my health or safety.”

George W.: “I am going on 70 years old. Not having paid sick days means that if I get sick, I don’t get paid and have to struggle even more to make ends meet. The airlines make provision for their own workers but the subcontractors do not. It is very hard to live and work under these conditions.”

Anthony K.: “I have a 6 month old baby girl and I had to stay home with my wife for a week after she gave birth. I don’t have any sick days so I did not receive any money for the time I had to miss. If I get sick or if my child or wife get sick and I have to call out, I don’t get paid and I get a point against me on my record. It is very hard to take care of my family under these conditions. It’s not right. I shouldn’t have to choose between my family’s health and providing money for our household.”

Share Your Paid Sick Days Story and Help Create a Better Working Environment for All Pennsylvanians!

We're collecting the stories of working Pennsylvanians so that elected leaders and others can understand the real life impact of not having these basic benefits. These stories are part of the Working Families Story Bank, which is a collection of story portraits of workers and employers across America.

We want to know:

• How you feel about the importance of paid sick days and the right to take off days from work to care for yourself or family
• How were you or your family affected when you didn't receive paid sick days or family leave?
• Did you lose your job?
• Did you experience financial difficulty or bankruptcy?
• Was your child left at school?
• Were you prevented from caring for an elderly parent?
• Are you a business owner who provides paid sick days, or are you employed by a business that does provide them?

To share your story, contact Marianne Bellesorte at 610-543-5022 ext. 209 or mbellesorte@pathwayspa.org.

Please take a moment to sign on our petition asking Philadelphia City Council members and the Mayor to support earned sick time, and the work-family balance agenda.

Business Leaders Make the Case for Paid Sick Days

From our friends at Family Values @ Work.

Leaders in the small business community are increasingly voicing their support for paid sick days. A new brochure captures their voices making the case for this measure as a way to keep down costs, retain employees, and strengthen the economy.

“We don’t see a conflict between doing the right thing and earning a profit,” said Rob Everts, co-president and CEO of Equal Exchange, a fair trade provider of coffee and other products, based in West Bridgewater, Massachusetts. “We value our workers for the skills that they bring and at the same time recognize that they are human beings with human needs.”

Dewetta Logan, director and Owner of Smart Beginnings Early Learning Center in Philadelphia, says implementing paid sick days at her center “helped build a partnership of trust between employee and employer.” Logan also believes that businesses like hers have a moral obligation to treat their workers humanely. “I believe having time off when you’re sick is a right – not something a worker should have to beg for.”

The fight against paid sick days is led by lobbyists for trade associations dominated by big national chains. “They disguise themselves as mom and pop shops. But they don’t speak for me,” said Freddy Castiblanco, owner of Terraza 7 Live Music, a cafe and music venue in Elmhurst, NY.

The brochure, titled, “How Your Business Can Benefit from Paid Sick Days,” is made available by Family Values @ Work Consortium and the Main Street Alliance and can be accessed here.

New Article in the Philadelphia Inquirer: "Leave rules in city enough to make advocates sick"

This story was only available in the print edition of the Inquirer.

Read Stories from "Moms Know Best: Even an Apple a Day Can't Keep the Doctor Away"

When we delivered apple baskets to City Council members last week, we also delivered an important story book put together by MomsRising with the help of Coalition members.  Now you can read "Moms Know Best: Even an Apple a Day Can't Keep the Doctor Away" and learn the stories of Philadelphians who are working without sick days.

Here are a few examples:

I’ve got the flu right now. I missed work on Friday and my boss made it very clear that this put me on shaky ground. I’ve had a fever of around 102 for days now, and I’m missing work today as well. I fully expect to be fired as a result of this.

Paid sick days would make a huge difference – but also simply not getting fired because I *do* get sick would be great. Not like I decided to get sick on purpose –
what exactly am I supposed to do about this?

Intolerance for health problems in the work place is absurd. I’m glad there’s a handful of people that never seem to get sick - but the rest of us do, and this shouldn’t be grounds for dismissal. - Akire

***

It is not fair to work without sick days. I got sick badly with a doctors note for a week and did not get paid. I was backed up on bills. - Carmen

***

I am a mother with two sickly children and my last employer didn’t have paid sick leave, so now I am home taking care of my children and having the system take care of us. - Thelma

Please read the stories and let others know about the need for paid sick days.

Every Parent Wants to Protect Their Children

Every parent wants to protect their children, no matter how old they get, but my daughter was faced with a horrible choice, and it was my fault. She had to choose between staying in the hospital waiting for word about my status in the Intensive Care Unit (which would make her lose her job) or going to work and facing the possibility that I could die while she was ringing people up at the check-out counter.

Going to work or caring for an ailing mother is a choice no one should have to make.

That's why I'm joining with the Coalition for Healthy Families and Workplaces in calling for paid sick days for anyone employed in the City of Philadelphia.

Not only has my daughter already confronted this ugly choice, but she's going to have to do it again and again in the near future because I'm facing heart surgery and a possible diagnosis of breast cancer.

But this isn't just about me and my family. Over 40 percent of Philadelphia's workers don't have the ability to earn paid sick days either. So whether it is the need to care for an ailing elder, or a sick child, or for oneself, there are thousands of people facing the choice of caring for themselves or their family and losing their job.

I'll be honest with you, that's not how it should work in America. But now Philadelphia has an opportunity to lead the way in how it *should* work! Click here and join me in supporting paid sick time for all employees in Philadelphia. Because it's like I told the City Council:

"Even if I have to use my last breath to get [a policy] passed, I will do it!"

You can tell the Mayor and the City Council that you want a paid sick days policy too! Just click here and sign the petition!

In solidarity,

Barbara Lovelace,
North Philadelphia

Dina Yarmus' Comment in Support of Earned Sick Days: "Everyone including restaurant workers deserve sick days."

My name is Dina Yarmus. I was born and raised in North East Philadelphia. I went to Ursinus college right outside of Philadelphia and this past year have settled in South Philadelphia. My father was a school teacher in Philadelphia’s public schools. My mother was a school nurse. My older sister, my boyfriend and I, like many others in this city are Servers; Restaurant workers.

I, unlike my sister, am one of the lucky ones. I have sick days. I am one of a handful of unionized restaurant workers in this city. I work at Tavern 17 at the Radisson Warwick Hotel and I am a member of a strong and proud Union,Unite Here Local 274.

What does this mean? It means a group of brave workers who worked there before me did something very similar to what we are trying to do right now. They fought for what was right. They fought for people to be treated like human beings. They fought for people to have sick days.

Restaurant work often is long hours without consistent days off. It involves long days on your feet, often doing the work of two people, and the emotional labor of keeping guests happy.

We sometimes need a day off.

We are interacting with many different people and their germs everyday.

We sometimes get sick.

So, I will submit to you three things:

1. Everyone including restaurant workers deserve sick days.
2. The public is better served by a social policy that doesn’t pressure working class people to come to work even when they’re sick and talk to you at your tables and touch your food.
3. Businesses can afford to pay sick days as is evidenced by my own employer that continues to be profitable and even grow despite the recession.

I am proud to be here in support of paid sick days. Thank you.

Public Comment in Favor of Bill No. 080474

Public Comment in favor of Bill No. 080474

Philadelphia City Council

March 17th, 2011

Kistine A. Carolan

Maternity Care Coalition

I would like to start my statement as an individual. My name is Kistine Carolan and I am a resident of Philadelphia. I left my family and friends and moved here from the Midwest 7 years ago to pursue a Master’s Degree in Social Work. I had every intention to leave upon completion of my degree. However, I fell in love with Philly and so found work in a 6-month internship immediately after graduating. I worked for $12 an hour with no benefits. The only thing I could afford was hope that I wouldn’t get sick.

One morning I woke up with an odd sensation. I brushed it off as sleepiness. Once I got to work though, there was no room for denial. Each co-worker confirmed that, for the first time in my life, I had pink eye. My co-workers and supervisor were eager to get me out of the office, my very pink eyes clearly unsettling them. While I did not formerly have sick time, my organization allowed me the day off to seek treatment. I spent the entire day seeking that treatment. Without health insurance I went to the Health Centers. I am grateful they exist. I spent 6 hours in the waiting room before I had the chance to meet with a doctor for 30 seconds who, not unsurprisingly, took one look and wrote me a prescription.

Most illnesses are not as visible as pink eye but are similarly contagious. The irony is that I would guess that if we became green with the flu and purple with a nasty cold, we wouldn’t be arguing whether to allow sick days. Businesses, especially restaurants, would have some of the most progressive policies on shooing sick workers out the door so they wouldn’t drive away customers. As it is now, however, restaurants do not need to have concern for their customer’s health. The invisibility of sickness is no excuse for allowing ill employees to infect co-workers, vulnerable children and senior citizens they care of, or restaurant go-ers whose food they closely interact with.

As a representative of my employer, Maternity Care Coalition, we would like to stress the positive impact this bill will have on families and, in particular, women. According to national research, working women are the primary caregivers of young children, with four in five mothers indicating that they are responsible for accompanying children to doctor’s appointments. Half of working mothers miss work when their child gets sick. Of these, half do not get paid for that time off. Women continue to receive lower pay than men in equal positions. Moreover, 2/3 of low-wage workers do not receive paid sick days and women make up the majority of that workforce. This data makes clear that the lost pay coupled with increased responsibilities for the health of young children is an unfair burden on the women of Philadelphia.

Children in our city would benefit from this law as well. When children become seriously ill, studies show that they recover faster when cared for by their parents. The mere presence of a parent shortens a child’s hospital stay by 31%.

A vote for this bill is a vote for mothers, children, low-wage workers, and the consumers of Philadelphia. I urge you to immediately vote on and pass the Promoting Healthy Families and Workplaces Act.

Kistine Carolan is the Community Engagement Coordinator with Maternity Care Coalition,  a member of the Coalition for Healthy Families and Workplaces. If you are interested in commenting on the earned sick time bill please email kscully@pathwayspa.org.

Help Us Tell Philadelphia City Council to Give ALL Workers a Chance to Earn Paid Sick Days

Cross-posted on MomsRising.org.

Everyone gets sick – but not everyone has time to get better. In Philadelphia, two out of every five workers who become ill (or whose kids become ill) have a terrible “choice” to make between the job they need and the family they love-all because they don’t have the opportunity to earn paid sick days.

Office Manager Tiffany Lomax is one single mom who is thankful that she now has paid sick days to care for her 13 year old son, who suffers from severe asthma and allergies. Unfortunately, that was not always the case for Tiffany. Prior to her current job, she worked at a number of different companies. Despite her hard work, ambition, and experience, she was let go from each of those jobs after missing work to care for her son. Now, Tiffany feels fortunate to have a job where she has the flexibility to work hard while doing the right thing for her family.

This Tuesday, March 1st, the Philadelphia City Council is holding a hearing to discuss the Promoting Healthy Families and Workplaces Act, which would give workers the opportunity to earn paid sick days to care for themselves, their children, or their other family members. If you live, work, or spend any time in Philadelphia, please contact members of City Council and let them know that all workers need to have a chance to earn paid sick days. You can also attend a rally in City Hall at 9:00 to show Council members how important this issue is to Philadelphians – you can then help us pack the hearing room.

Even if you have paid sick days at your job, a majority of restaurant, child care, and health care workers do not—the lack of paid sick days in Philadelphia impacts us all! Those preparing our food or caring for our children and other vulnerable populations are likely to come to work sick as they do not have another option.
Paid sick days are also good for business as having it leads to higher productivity and lower turnover. Employees that have paid sick days are also less likely to pass on any illness to co-workers and consumers.

Labor Justice Radio: The Right to Heal

A special thank you to Kistine Carolan, a coalition member as part of Maternity Care Coalition and a member of Labor Justice Radio for putting together a piece focusing on the need for workers to be able to earn a minimum number of paid sick day.

Please listen as workers tell their own stories of how important paid sick days are to their health and the community's well-being.



Labor Justice Radio is a worker-produced show advocating justice for all working people. You can listen to shows online at http://laborjusticeradio.podomatic.com/ or live on WPEB 88.1FM in West Philadelphia, Mondays 7-8pm & Tuesdays 1-2pm.  Also feel free to check out and because a fan of their Facebook page.

Why One Business Provides Paid Sick Days

In Philadelphia, two out of every five private employees do not have the opportunity to earn any paid sick days. With so many employees working without the time to recover from an illness, seek medical care, or care for a loved one, it is important to hear from employers that provide paid sick days as a tool to help their employees and their bottom line.

“We believe we have a responsibility to do so for our employees. We believe it keeps them healthier, less stressed and, therefore, more productive. We believe that it keeps us competitive as an employer, contributes to employee loyalty and, thereby cuts down on turn-over. Finally, we believe it is the right thing to do and good business to do so.” 

– Natalie Levkovich , Executive Director of the Health Federation of Philadelphia, when asked why the Health Federation offers their employees paid sick days.

Are you an employer that provides paid sick days to your employees? Would you like to share your experience of how this has helped your business? If so, please contact Kate Scully at policy@pathwayspa.org or 610-543-5022 x 255.

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 HB 1830 and an interview from Tiffany Lomax about her need for earned sick time.  You can watch it on YouTube or view it below.

Watch PCN on September 26 to Learn More About Earned Sick Time!

On Sunday, September 12, PCN's monthly television program "Agenda for Action" included a story on HB 1830, including a story from Tiffany Lomax about her need for earned sick time.

The "Agenda for Action" program features discussions on state issues with members of the House Democratic Caucus. It also highlights specific legislation and initiatives through reports and stories showcasing people across Pennsylvania. This program will be rebroadcast on September 26 at 2:30 PM.  A preview can be seen on the Agenda for Action website.

New Video on the Need for Sick Time in Pennsylvania

In Pennsylvania over 2.2 million workers do not have the ability to earn paid sick days. These are some of their stories.



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.

Even State Representatives Need to Use Sick Days

State Representative Marc Gergely, the lead sponsor of the Healthy Families, Healthy Workplaces Act, may have a new story to tell about the need for sick days.  As we mentioned in earlier posts, Representative Gergely was scheduled to be on WITF's Radio SmartTalk today to discuss the need for earned sick time.  Unfortunately, he had to postpone his appearance - because he needed to take a sick day to meet with a surgeon about his son's recently broken foot.

We wish all the best to the Gergely family and for a quick recovery for the Representative's son.  In the meantime, if you have a story to share about the need for sick days, please do so below!


image courtesy of http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Foot.png

Written Testimony from August 17, 2010 Hearing on Earned Sick Time

For those of you interested in reading the testimony from the hearing, you can find it all right here!

Carol Goertzel, President/CEO, PathWays PA
E---------------, Affected Worker
Department of Health
Robert Drago, Ph. D., Research Director, Institute for Women's Policy Research
Rebecca Foley, Director of Education & Advocacy Initiatives, WOMEN'S WAY
Kate Etherington, Senior Program Director, Physicians for Social Responsibility
Sam Denisco, Director of Government Affairs, PA Chamber of Business and Industry
Carol Tracy, Executive Director, Women's Law Project

Testimony submitted for the record:
Richard Bloomingdale, President, Pennsylvania AFL-CIO
Donna Levitt, Manager, Office of Labor Standards Enforcement (San Francisco)
Dr. James Plumb, Professor, Thomas Jefferson University
K.C. Moylan, Chief Operation Officer, Pei Wei Asian Diner, Inc.
Susan Kavchok, Childspace Management Group, Inc.

The Working Families Story Bank – Tiffany’s Story

The Working Families Story Bank is a collection of story portraits of workers and employers across America. Presented by the Family Values @ Work Consortium, a national network of 14 regional coalitions, the Story Bank focuses on narratives about paid sick days and affordable family leave. Many of the stories reveal the human consequences of current workplace policies. Other stories show the promising practices of employers who support the dignity of their workers and staff through their workplace policies.

Below is Tiffany’s story.

Tiffany is an office manager and a single mom. Her 13 year old son has severe asthma and allergies. At her current job she receives paid sick days, which she is able to use to care for herself or her son when he has an asthma attack or a respiratory infection. Tiffany is relieved knowing that she can take the time to care for her son without fear of losing her job.

Unfortunately, that was not always the case for Tiffany. Prior to her current job, she worked at a number of different companies. Despite her hard work, she was let go from each of those jobs after missing work to care for her son.

Tiffany feels blessed to have a job where she has the flexibility to work hard and care for her son. She is grateful to work in a climate that supports the work-family balance.

Want to hear Tiffany and others from Pennsylvania tell their stories in their own words? Please visit the Working Families Story Bank.