PSD for City Contractors and Subsidy Recipients is Law in Philadelphia!

Great news! The paid sick days amendment to Philadelphia's 21st Century Minimum Wage and Benefits Ordinance, which passed 15-2 on October 13, became law today.  This bill, which will go into effect on July 1, 2011, will ensure that covered employers shall provide to each full-time, non-temporary, non-seasonal covered employee at least the number of earned sick leave days that the employer would have been required to provide to such employees if the provisions of Bill No. 080474-AA, as passed by Council on June 16, 2011, had been enacted into law rather than vetoed by the Mayor.

The employers described below are considered "covered employers":

1. The City of Philadelphia, including all its agencies, departments and offices. 
2. For-profit Service Contractors, which receive or are subcontractors on contract(s) for $10,000 or more from the City in a twelve-month period, with annual gross receipts of more than $1,000,000. 
3. Non-profit Service Contractors which receive or are subcontractors on contract(s) from the City of more than $100,000 in a twelve-month period. 
4. Recipients of City leases, concessions, or franchises, or subcontractors thereof, which employ more than twenty-five (25) employees. 
5. City financial aid recipients. Compliance shall be required for a period of five (5) years following receipt of aid. 
6. Public agencies which receive contract(s) for $10,000 or more from the City in a twelve-month period. 

The Philadelphia Living Wage and Benefits Law already requires those City-supported employers to pay at least 150% of the federal minimum wage to its employees. It also mandates that if the employer provides healthcare benefits to any of its employees, the employer shall provide each full-time employee healthcare benefits at least as valuable as the basic healthcare benefits that are provided to the employer's other full-time employees. There is an exemption for small businesses.

The Coalition for Healthy Families and Workplaces would like to thank Councilman Goode, who was the main sponsor of the bill, as well as to the other 8 cosponsors and the members who voted for this bill on October 13.

Tell Mayor Nutter How You Feel About Sick Days

On October 13, City Council members passed a bill introduced by Councilman Wilson Goode, Jr., that amends the 21st Century Minimum Wage and Benefits Act to ensure all workers whose employers contract with the city or receive public subsidies can earn paid sick days. This bill ensures that city tax dollars only fund jobs that support public health, families, and the community.

The bill now goes to the Mayor's desk, and he needs to hear from you!

Please take a moment to send a letter to the Mayor telling him your feelings about paid sick days.

Public Comment in Support of the Earned Sick Days Amendment to the Living Wage Bill in Philadelphia

The Coalition for Healthy Families and Workplaces would like to thank all of our members for their support, especially those who came out to City Council yesterday to help ensure passage of the Earned Sick Days Amendment to Philadelphia's Living Wage Bill.

Below are videos of the public comment given by supporters.  Thank you to all of you who stood up to share your story or speak about the importance of the bill.

Kathy Black - Philadelphia Chapter of the Coalition for Labor Union Women



Andrea Lemoins - Philadelphia Restaurant Opportunities Center



Fabricio Rodriguez - Philadelphia Security Officers Union




Andre Butler - Philadelphia Unemployment Project

Another Victory for Working Families in Philadelphia: Paid Sick Days Amendment to 21st Century Minimum Wage and Benefits Standard Passes City Council 15-2, Awaits Mayor's Signature

With this bill, Philadelphia becomes the first city in the country to make paid sick days part of their living wage ordinance

Philadelphia, PA - When a loved one becomes ill, are you forced to choose between caring for them or losing a paycheck, or even your job?  People without paid sick days at their jobs often face these impossible choices -- between the work they need and the families they love. Today, Philadelphia's City Council took a step towards giving Philadelphia workers a new choice: the opportunity to earn sick days.

Full-time workers at companies who contract with the city or who receive city subsidies will now be eligible to earn up to seven paid sick days each year under a bill introduced by Councilman W. Wilson Goode, Jr., and passed by City Council today. Bill 110557, an ordinance ensuring that all employers who fall under the 21st Century Minimum Wage and Benefits Standard must provide sick days to their full time workers, passed with a vote of 15-2. It now awaits the Mayor's signature.

"The health and livelihoods of all Philadelphians are compromised when working people are forced to go to their jobs when they're sick," said Marianne Bellesorte, Senior Director of Policy at PathWays PA. "City Council took an important step today by ensuring that city tax dollars only fund jobs that support public health, families, and the community."

Studies in other cities show that both businesses and employees benefit from earned sick days policies. Businesses save money from higher productivity and lower turnover, and workers use paid sick leave responsibly and often do not use all of the time offered to them. A study of San Francisco's paid sick days law shows many business concerns about job loss were unfounded, with six in seven employers saying that paid sick days have had no negative effect on profitability and two-thirds of employers surveyed supporting the law.

"Earned sick days are good for business and good for working families," said Rebecca Foley, Director of Public Policy at WOMEN'S WAY. "This bill is the next step to making sure that all Philadelphians have access to paid sick days."

In June 2011, City Council passed a bill that would give all Philadelphia workers an opportunity to earn paid sick days at work. Mayor Nutter vetoed that bill at the Chamber of Commerce. A similar bill will be introduced next year.

STATEMENT OF ELLEN BRAVO, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, FAMILY VALUES @ WORK

"National momentum for paid sick days continues to grow as elected leaders in yet another city voted today to help working people squeezed by the economy. Philadelphia joins Connecticut and Seattle in voting this year to enact this common sense reform that will boost public health and strengthen families and the economy both.

"The Philadelphia law is a simple change that will have a major positive impact on the lives of thousands of families. Paid sick days will support economic recovery by helping people keep their jobs. Paid sick days are good for workers and their families, good for businesses and, with flu season approaching, good for the public health. We look forward to continued progress in Philadelphia this January when the new City Council will take up comprehensive paid sick days legislation that covers more workers.

"With Denver residents voting now for a paid sick days ballot initiative and with diverse grassroots coalitions backing active legislation in New York City, Massachusetts and many other places, this is a movement that continues to grow."

Paid Sick Days Amendment Passed City Council!

Today Philadelphia City Council voted 15 to 2 to add paid sick days to the 21st Century Minimum Wage and Benefits Standard. Workers that are employed by businesses that receive money from the city will now be able to earn paid sick days.

Thank you to Councilman Goode and all members of Council who voted for this important bill. Watch the vote take place and amazing remarks from Councilman Goode in the video below.

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.

Out of Committee and On To A Vote!

After unanimously passing out of committee, the paid sick days amendment to the 21st Century Minimum Wage and Benefits Act is set for final passage next week.  If you want to read about yesterday's hearing, please check out these articles:

• October 6, 2011 - New sick-day proposal passes a Council test 
• October 6, 2011 - Phila. sick leave bill scaled back 
• October 5, 2011 - Revised Mandatory Sick Leave Bill Set For Full Philadelphia City Council Vote
• October 5, 2011 - City contractors may have to pay workers when they are sick

Hearing Tomorrow on a Paid Sick Days Amendment to the 21st Century Minimum Wage and Benefits Standard

Tomorrow, members of the Coalition for Healthy Families and Workplaces will be testifying at a hearing on a bill (No. 110557) that would require certain employers that contract with or receive money from the City of Philadelphia to provide paid sick days to their employees. This bill is an amendment to the 21st Century Minimum Wage and Benefits Standard ordinance which already requires those subject to the ordinance to pay their employees 150% of the minimum wage.

The purpose of the 21st Century Minimum Wage and Benefits Ordinance is to ensure that as many employees as possible with in Philadelphia are able to “live with more dignity and economic self-sufficiency” and to invest in a “better community economic standard.” Providing paid sick days certainly allows employees to live with more dignity as they are not forced to work sick and improves economic self-sufficiency as they have pay and job security.

The Coalition commends Councilman Goode for introducing this amendment and we look forward to supporting this bill as we work to introduce a new paid sick days bill in the coming year that will cover all of Philadelphia’s workers.

If you would like to attend the hearing it will be held tomorrow, October 5th at 10:00AM in Room 400 of City Hall. For more information about the 21st Century Minimum Wage and Benefits Standard and who is subject to it please see our fact sheet.