Georgia Job/Family Collaborative

From the H1N1 flu epidemic to the national debate on rising health care costs, it is clear that paid sick days are critical to the well-being of working families.  The GA Job/Family Collaborative is part of a nation-wide coalition of organizations called Family Values @ Work leading the fight to pass sick days legislation at both the state and national level.  Visit the website at http://familyvaluesatwork.org to see what Congress can do to value families at work.

GA Flexible  Sick Days Policy Initiative

The problem:

Keeping sick children home isn’t an option for thousands of Georgia workers. They want to do the right thing and prevent the spread of the H1N1 virus and other illnesses.  Yet, without access to sick days for family members, they risk paychecks and even jobs if they stay home when their children contract the flu.

• So far this year, 400 schools nationwide have closed due to H1H1.  The highest attack rate is among 5-24 year olds, many of whom need a parent to care for them when staying home from school.

• More than one-third of flu cases are transmitted in schools and workplaces.  Staying at home when infected may reduce the number of people impacted by a pandemic influenza by 15% – 35%.

Nationwide, nearly 86 million workers (including those who have sick days to use for their own illness) do not have paid sick days to care for sick children.

A Realistic, Cost-Effective Solution:

Allow use of existing employer-provided sick days for illness of an employee’s child, or other immediate family member. Eight states (CA, CT, HI, MD, ME, MN, WA, WI) currently have laws providing access to sick days for ill family members.  Two states (NY, WV) considered such legislation in 2009.

• The bill would not require any expansion of current benefits by any employer.  Whatever their current sick days policy is – it would stay the same.  It would simply allow employees to use their accrued sick days for the illness of a child, spouse or parent, as well as for their own illness.

• Our society values families and caring for our own.  Employers benefit through increased loyalty and productivity, and lower turnover when employees’ family responsibilities are supported.

Allowing use of sick days that employees have already earned, through existing company policies, for family illness protects public health and promotes family responsibility, without new requirements for employers.

Factsheet on Flexible Sick Days policy for Georgia

Paid Sick Days in the Press

“Stay At Home Sick?  Not An Option for Many Workers” – 9to5 Executive Director Linda Meric makes the case for paid sick days in an article for the Atlanta Journal Constitution.

H1N1 flu

• Read Cynthia Tucker’s article  “Spreading Swine Flu to Avoid Going Broke” in the Atlanta Journal Constitution

• A New York Times article explains how the lack of paid sick days in workplaces across the country is worsening the H1N1 flu pandemic.

Lower ER and Healthcare Costs

• New Hampshire is considering paid sick day legislation in order to reduce the cost of emergency room and hospital use.  Read the article here.

• A briefing by the Community Service Society of New York reports that 48 percent of New Yorkers say they don’t have paid sick leave.   Their statistics show that workers without paid sick leave is a factor driving up expensive emergency room visits and health care costs.

Halt Contagion in Restaurants and Nursing Homes

• More than one-third of flu cases are transmitted in schools and workplaces; another third are transmitted in community settings.   Nationally 27% of nursing home workers do not have paid sick day benefits.   Read how sick days would benefit these workplace environments.