Too many Georgia families are forced to choose between a paycheck and taking needed time off from work when they are sick, or a child or other family member is ill. Lack of sick leave puts families, classrooms and workplaces at risk.
Reasonable measures that allow workers limited time off when they need it for their own medical needs or those of a spouse, child or parent strengthen families and businesses. When working parents have paid sick days for routine illness and medical appointments they are more focused and productive at work, children are more successful in school, and employers gain through increased productivity and lower turnover.
The GA Job/Family Collaborative, made up of local and statewide organizations, works to expand access to family leave. Our goals are to win public policies that strengthen communities by ensuring that families can balance their responsibilities at home and on the job.
The Georgia Job/Family Collaborative supports public policies including:
► At the national level, the Healthy Families Act, which would allow all workers to earn up to of seven paid sick days per year for their own illness or that of a family member.
► At the state level, a Family Care Act bill which would allow employees who currently have paid sick days on their job, to use them for illness or medical appointments, for themselves, a child, spouse or elderly parent. Proposed legislation would not require any employer to add additional sick days, only to allow for family flexible use of current policy.
Recent Updates
Who Cares For – and About – Sick Kids?
by Ellen Bravo
Note to all legislators and other decision-makers:
If you care about children, you must pay attention to what is happening to their parents at work.
According to a study released today by Kristin Smith and Andrew Schaefer from the Carsey Institute, more than half of all employed parents (52 percent) have fewer than five paid days off they can use to care for a sick child. In fact, nearly half of the hard-working parents in our country don’t have any paid time off – no sick days for themselves and no paid vacation days.
View full article:http://familyvaluesatwork.org/blog/paid-sick-days/who-cares-for-and-about-sick-kids
In the Press:Family care policies winner for families and employers
January 25, 2012
Amy N. Weaver and Donna Baxley, Guest Columnists
Rome News-Tribune
For many working Georgians, the ability to use sick days for family care is taken for granted. When these workers’ children or elderly parents become ill and they are forced to take the day off to care for them, they don’t have to worry about missed paychecks.
View full story: http://rn-t.com/view/full_story/17289913/article-GUEST-COLUMN–Family-care-polic…
At the annual Family Values @ Work conference, the National Partnership for Women and Families highlighted the outstanding work of Georgia Job/Family Collaborative member Jameelah Ferrell. Jameelah met with staff from the offices of Senator Isakson and Representative Bishop, urging them to support the Healthy Families Act. Check out the slideshow of photos from Jameelah’s day at the Capitol or watch a video about her experience!
To contact us:
Atlanta 9to5: (404) 222-0037
E-mail: gajobfamily@yahoo.com