Connecticut Becomes The First State To Require Paid Sick Leave For Service Workers

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June 6, ed 2011 | Originally posted in CityTownInfo.com

State legislators approved a bill on Saturday that makes Connecticut the first state in the nation to require employers to offer paid sick leave to their workers.

According to The New York Times, the bill, which the House voted 76 to 65 and was approved by the Senate on May 25, applies to service sector businesses with 50 or more employees who receive an hourly wage. However, manufacturing companies and nationally chartered nonprofit organizations, day laborers, independent contractors and temporary workers are exempt. Employees who qualify will be able to earn one hour of paid sick time for every 40 hours worked. The benefit is capped at five days per year. CNN reported that Governor Dannel Malloy is expected to sign the bill before it goes into effect at the beginning of 2012.

“This is a historic moment and a very common-sense moment,” said House Speaker Christopher Donovan to CNN. “People get sick and there should be some way that they won’t lose pay or lose their job if they get sick.”

MSNBC reported that the United States is one of the few industrialized nations in the world that does not require paid sick time for workers. Vicki Shabo, director of the work and family program for the National Partnership for Women & Families, stated that more than 40 million U.S. workers do not have paid sick time. Liberia, Papua New Guinea and Swaziland also do not require it.

CNN noted that although no other state has such a mandate, San Francisco has required all employers to provide mandatory paid sick leave to workers since 2006. Washington D.C. and Milwaukee began mandating paid sick leave in 2008.

According to MSNBC, labor advocates hope that the passing of the bill in Connecticut will encourage other states to follow suit. Massachusetts is already considering a bill that would give workers seven paid sick days and other cities–including Philadelphia, Denver and Seattle–are looking into similar legislation.

Not everyone is on board with the legislation, however. Many businesses argue that the bill will significantly raise the cost of doing business and adds another obstacle for companies trying to stay afloat in today’s tough economy.

However, according to CNN, Shabo pointed out that paid sick time is a public health issue and, in the grand scheme of things, is a huge benefit to everyone.

“The cost of providing a sick day is less than having a worker show up sick and not be productive and spread their flu or virus to their co-workers or customers,” argued Shabo. Furthermore, she added that most workers do not use up all of their sick time.

Despite some debate, Governor Malloy said he supports the bill.

“Why would you want to eat food from a sick restaurant cook? Or have your children taken care of by a sick day care worker? The simple answer is–you wouldn’t. And now, you won’t have to,” he said in a statement quoted by The New York Times.

Compiled by Heidi M. Agustin

Sources:

“Can a paid sick leave plan go national?” msnbc.msn.com, June 5, 2011, Eve Tahmincioglu

“Connecticut legislators first to pass paid sick leave bill,” CNN.com, June 4, 2011, Leigh Remizowski

“In Connecticut, Paid Sick Leave for Service Workers Is Approved,” NYTimes.com, June 4, 2011, Peter Applebome

Los Angeles Resolution Calls for SCOMM OPT OUT

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(Los Angeles) The City Council today passed a resolution opposing the discredited “Se Communities” jail deportation program, amid growing calls for the California TRUST ACT, legislation moving in Sacramento which would limit California’s participation, and ensure local police’s ability to opt-out of the program.
The resolution is part of a turning tide against the Obama Administration’s discredited jail deportation program.
Pablo Alvarado, Director of the National Day Laborer Organizing Network commented, “The tide is turning on the dangerous, dishonest ‘se communities’ program. S-COMM was sold to the American public by DHS under false pretenses. It’s snake oil. It makes communities less safe, it imperils civil rights, and it is poisoning political efforts to reform unjust immigration laws. Today, Los Angeles said very clearly it isn’t ing the snake oil, and the City Council has taken action to prevent the Arizonification of our community.
There is an urgent need for the TRUST Act in California, and an end to the program all together. Se Communities has become a symbol of President Obama’s broken promises on immigration reform. Ending it would be a concrete step to repair that trust, and it would be the first step on a path to immigration reform. ”

Los Angeles City Councilmember Reyes said, “We need to end this ugliness, the meanness of federal policies that are punitive to vulnerable people. This is not the America we want.”
Michel Moore, Assistant Chief of Special Operations of the LA Police Department, reaffirmed, “Undocumented status is of no interest to the department. Se Communities undermines our ability to maintain trust and communication with communities. Trust and communication that’s essential to ensure their safety.”
Councilmember Huizar stated, “We say no thank you to the federal government. We say no to s-comm.”
More than a year ago, Washington DC, Arlington, VA, San Francisco, and Santa Clara, CA sought to opt-out of what was originally represented as a voluntary deportation program, “Se Communities.” The actions of those cities has escalated to a domino effect of states seeking out of the now discredited program, attempting reforms, or pledging not to participate in the case of those yet to sign-on.

In the past month, Governor Quinn of Illinois and Governor Cuomo of New York announced their suspension of the program and the cancellation of the memorandum of agreements between their states and the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency. Observing how S-Comm has been implemented in other states, Massachusetts Governor Patrick announced Monday that his state would not sign on to the program. In California, a bill that would regulate the program and reinforce its voluntary nature, the TRUST Act, recently passed the Assembly and is awaiting vote in the Senate.
Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren has said DHS has been “essentially lying to local government” about the program. Her calls for a thorough investigation have corresponded with requests by the Congressional Hispanic Caucus to immediately suspend the program.
The Oakland City Council is scheduled to pass a similar resolution this evening.
The National Day Laborer Organizing Network (NDLON) is a plaintiff in an on-going FOIA lawsuit against DHS/ICE for access to documents related to the Se Communities Program. NDLON plays a central role in California advocacy for the TRUST Act and coordinates the Turning the Tide campaign….