Multiple states push for mandatory paid sick days

I can see both sides of this dilemma. I think there's a greater-than-average chance that people would abuse this benefit. On the other hand, if advocates for the policy are correct in their estimation that many of the employees without the benefit work in jobs where they are more likely to come in contact with the public, then I guess it's better for everyone if they stayed home.

I think it's rather funny that businesses say they oppose mandatory sick pay because it prevents them from offering other benefits to their employees. That's a ridiculous excuse. Very few of these low-wage jobs offer benefits to the majority of their workers. Employees often get low wages and no benefits whatsoever.

huh, seems like a bunch of lazy's are trying to make rules. we could definitely use some restructuring in the way we work in general, but making businesses pay us for "beiing sick", which most of us use for play days or wanting a longer weekend or whatever, doesn't seem like it makes sense.

For this I see both sides. I honestly believe that people would abuse the privelege of paid sick days. I'm not going to lie, I am 95% sure I would. But at the same time, places like fast food industries don't offer benefits unless you are employed there for a substantial period. If you look at the people employed in places like Burger King and McDonalds most of the staff are around or in their teens. They have no benefits offered to them. So the not being able to give the benefits thing is bs. And as for the higher wages thing, as an ex fast food employee I know for my state where I live you must work at the places for at least 6 months in order to obtain a, I believe, 15 cent raise so I personally think that's more bs.

capitalists are finally realizing that we are not automatons but rather human beings...yeah, right. as if our corporate overlords have any humanity to think of anything other than the bottom line.

The other side of the abuse of sick days is how many people are getting sick because of someone that has to come to work while they are sick?

That costs a lot in productivity when they are spreading it around to the other employees so that they become impaired in their performance because of it

So that one would balance out the other if sick days were offered.

I bet the people who argue against paid sick days being a financial strain on businesses get paid sick days. And paid vacation too. And can afford to feed their family, pay their rent and the bills without having to worry about how many hours they got in this past week and whether or not the pay will be enough to cover everything.

Just think of the extra income tax revenue that would be generated by paying 46 million even one sick day each.........

lets just call them personal days and you can be sick, go see your sick grandma, go on a field trip with your kid, take a break from the office before you go postal.

WE NEED DOWN TIME

You have to remember that not too long ago there were no regulation for the treatment of employees. The 40 hour work week, overtime, health care for full timers; Industry didn't just hand these things over willingly to employees. Those are all things that were fought for and won.

Abuse of sick days is not relevant. You only get a certain amount. Whether you are sick or not when you use them doesn't change anything.

When I worked at a coffee shop, I would have to come in even if I was sick, because I needed the money. Then I would get everyone else sick and it would just be a big mess. It actually really sucked because I got hired right after they stopped giving sick days and holiday pay to employees. So everyone had sick days but me!

We're human not ROBOTS! Everybody should have sick days. good grief.

Obviously everyone working a 40hr work week should (by law) be granted paid sick leave.

It's just common fucking sense.

The economic arguement being employed now is identical to the one we've heard for the last 100 years:

"Ban 5 year old children from coal mines? That's insane! We can't afford it! We'll go broke if you pass a law making it illegal to employ 5 year olds!"

That was bullshit. We passed the law. Everyone's life got better.

"End slavery? That's insane! My cotton plantation is on a fixed budget! I'll go bankrupt if you pass a law saying I can't have slaves!"

That was bullshit. We passed the law. Everyone's lives got better.

"A 40hr work week? That's insane! My business requires that employees work 80hrs a week! I'll go bankrupt if you pass a law limiting the number of hours worked!"

That was bullshit. We passed the law. Everyone's life got better.

"Mandatory safety equipment provided for employees? That's insane! My business is on a fixed budget and we can't afford hard hats, respitory masks and warning signs! I'll go bankrupt if...."

Notice the reptitive WHINING of the multi-millionaires.

I'll go bankrupt if....

I'll go bankrupt if...

Waa! Waa! Waa!

It's been 100 percent bullshit for a solid 100 years and it's no different now.

They can easily afford to provide mandatory paid sick leave for all full time employees -- just like they could easily accomodate eliminating child labor, providing overtime pay, providing safety equipment, etc.

The only appropriate rebuttal to a multi-millionaire who whines about "going bankrupt" is a swift kick in the balls.

Of course, if it failed in the France, The UK and Australia, we have got to try it here.

Agitator wrote:

"The only problem with your logic is it never stops. Health care; they can afford it; sick days; they can afford it, special rooms for breastfeeding; they can afford it. Get you stinkin hand out of my pocket until you have worked as hard as I have, lost as many hours of sleep as I have, paid as many isurance premiums for you employees as I have, employed as many people as I have. You are just another ignorant lefty, who can't cut it so you want a free ride.

RIDE THIS!"

Rebuttal -- it's called arguing the extremes and it's a poor way of making an arguement.

The "logic" goes something like this:

"You want to ban child labor? Well then where does it ever end!?! I guess while we're at it we should just give everyone in America a million dollars in cash!"

See how that style of arguing works?

Does that arguement against this very specific proposal for paid sick leave for full time employees make sense?

Arguing the extremes or simply proposing extreme hypothetical situations and presenting them as "the logical extension of what would happen if XYZ happens" is a common tactic of the Right.

Arguing the extremes or proposing hypothetical scenarios is exactly what was done when we (the workers and citizens of America) fought for a 5 day work week, overtime pay, UNPAID maternity leave, OSHA and on and on.

At every single attempt someone always (without fail) tried to argue that:

1) All workers are lazy and looking for free handouts (but all CEO's are saints and excude a Christ-like glow of holiness)

2) All businesses everywhere would instantly go bankrupt in America if such a "perk" (like a 40hr work week) were made mandatory

3) Argued the extremes. "40 hr work week? Why not just hand everyone in America a brick of solid gold so long as you're making ridiculous proposals???"

Niiice!

It's just shameful how companies in the US treat their employees..

Everyone needs time to recharge sometimes. Working when you're sick just makes you more sick.

You tel those lazy bastards to get the hell over it, wipe their runny noses on their sleeves, and go make me my damn tacos!

Yeah, this is freaking obvious. Of course business will whine about it, because it's in the nature of business to be short-sighted, not thinking about the employees who will be made sick if the sick employee can't take a day off but only of the immediate bottom line.

I do not see two sides here. No matter how you slice it - as a workers' rights issue or a bottom-line capitalist issue - it makes sense to have mandatory sick leave.

While we're on the subject, women should have mandatory paid maternity leave, too. Shockingly, they don't. This is just fucking idiotic, especially considering that it's often Republicans who both want to talk about things like "family values" AND don't want to give anybody paid leave.

The argument about part-time workers is neatly solved by allowing PTO to accrue, as Screaming4Change points out, above; but you guys should know that many businesses sidestep benefits regulations by working people 39 hours a week and claiming they're part-time.

I have a chronic medical condition and many times I just don't get paid when I am ill. I don't work a "low wage" job either.

I think this could be a great thing. I know too many people, including family members, who don't make enough all around or are just a little short on cash, so they pick up whatever time they get whether they're overworked or sick or whatever. If they could get paid sick days, even one every now and then, it would help them tremendously.

I've never even sniffed a job with paid sick days.

paid sick days? what does money grow on trees? well if you sell marijuana it does but thats not my point.. now get back to work!!

fuck ya they better

Workers should have a certain number of paid sick days with no penalties. I worked at the same job for 8 years. I was always rated 95% out of 100% job performance because I had to take days off for either my own illness or when my kids were sick. It was always under the number of sick days per year that the company provided, but I was penalized for taking them anyway.

Workers are human beings, not robots. People don't thrive on being run into the ground.

Wow I had no idea you guys don't get legislated paid sick days. I think here in Australia, it's 10 minimum.

Sucks to be you!!