March 28, 2011

REP. HADDAD BACKS PAID SICK LEAVE FOR WORKERS
Legislation would help businesses, families, public health

State Representative Gregory Haddad (D-Mansfield, Chaplin) is co-sponsoring legislation (SB913) requiring businesses with 50 or more employees to provide paid sick leave for their workers.

Haddad, who serves as vice-chair of the legislature’s Commerce Committee, said the bill not only addresses an important labor issue, but is also good for public health. He noted that many people in industries that require close contact with the public lack paid sick days, including almost 80% of food-service workers and 30% of health care workers.

“When sick people go to work or send children to school sick, they risk transmitting illness or disease to co-workers or students,” Haddad said. “From a business perspective, this means more absenteeism and lower productivity.”

According to the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases, 18% of office employees will catch the flu from a sick co-worker. “Most people without paid sick days tend to go to work sick because they cannot afford to take a non-paid day off, which doesn’t do anyone any good,” Haddad said.

The bill, which has already been approved by the Labor Committee, allows workers to earn paid sick after working a minimum of 680 hours at their job. Employees will then accrue one hour of sick leave for every 40 hours worked, up to 40 hours per year. Paid sick leave could be used for personal or family illness, injury, mental illness, preventative care, family violence and sexual assault.

Haddad emphasized that the bill only applies to employers with 50 or more employees, so “mom and pop” restaurants and other businesses with fewer workers will not be affected. Governor Dannel P. Malloy has already indicated he would sign the bill into law if it passes the General Assembly.