Paid Sick Days for All Workers

The Healthy Families Act (HR 2460/S 1152) would enable workers to earn up to seven paid sick days a year to recover from short-term illness, to care for a sick family member, for routine medical care or to seek assistance related to domestic violence, sexual assault or stalking. Workers would earn one hour of paid sick time for every 30 hours worked, up to 56 hours (seven days) per year, unless the employer selects a higher limit. Small-business employers with fewer than 15 workers are exempt from the law.

There is a broad-based coalition of women's, civil rights, medical, children's, faith-based and labor organizations who support this legislation. And, nearly nine of out ten voters (86%) support paid sick days as a basic labor standard.

Click here to tell your representatives that you support the Healthy Families Act.

Additional ways to take action
http://paidsickdays.nationalpartnership.org

Support Paid Family Leave

The FIRST (Family Income to Respond to Significant Transitions) Act would establish a federal grant program to help states establish a new paid family leave program or bolster an existing program. Start-up grants could cover early administrative costs and initial benefits for participants.

In tough economic times, families are less able to prepare for major transitions and family care emergencies so their economic security is more at risk than ever. Paid family leave programs have been shown to help families avoid poverty through partial wage replacement when they need it most. Federal grants to underwrite some of the costs associated with starting these programs would help states already facing budget cutbacks to other essential family services.

Learn more about the FIRST Act and encourage your legislators to support it.