68,000 Workers In St. Paul Just Won The Right To A Paid Day Off When They Get Sick

[riversedge]

Source: Think Progress





Bryce Covert


10 mins ago3 min read



68,000 Workers In St. Paul Just Won The Right To A Paid Day Off When They Get Sick


There is no national law ensuring that American workers can take a paid day off of work if they or their family members get sick. But there are now more than 30 of these laws in cities and states throughout the country.

On Tuesday, St. Paul became the second city in Minnesota to pass a paid sick leave law, following Minneapolis in May. Once it goes into effect, more than 68,000 workers in the city’s private sector who have gone without the benefit should be able to take a paid day for illness.

Starting next summer, those at companies with 24 or more employees would be able to earn up to 48 hours of leave a year, while those at smaller ones will be covered at the beginning of 2018.

Before this year, paid sick leave laws had mostly been concentrated on the East and West coasts. But the last three laws passed have been in the Midwest, with Chicago passing its own ordinance in June..............................

Read more: https://thinkprogress.org/st-paul-paid-sick-leave-e612a4f0345d#.72kyphyof

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CREDIT: AP Photo/Brian Witte

[bettyellen]

1. Sad that this is even an issue - my company was horrible about it

[whistler162]

2. Next they will want days off instead of

working 7 days a week.... THE NERVE!!!!

[Hekate]

3. I hope that includes food-handlers, don't you?

[GOLGO 13]

4. Paid sick day? What is this FRANCE!

What's next? Chairs during lunch I suppose.

[surrealAmerican]

5. Good for them, but ...

... what does it say about us, as a nation, that people have to fight these battles over and over just to have some few basic rights?

[MichMan]

6. As long as they don't end up being extra vacation days

I know this will make me unpopular and I am not begrudging anyone who is too sick to come in.

While I strongly believe that people should be allowed sick days, I also am of the belief that they are only to be used if you are actually sick. If you are fortunate enough to be healthy and don't need them then they shouldn't be used. I usually take at most 1 per year and feel fortunate for my good health at the age of 58.

I have had sick days available to me for many years, and in that time, I have seen many co workers take advantage of their employer and their co workers by treating them as an extra 15 vacation days to be used whenever you just don't want to go to work. Not very nice to those co workers who have to try and do their job and yours.