Pennsylvania Senators Don’t Want Paid Sick Leave for Philly Workers

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.care2.com/causes/pennsylvania-senators-dont-want-paid-sick-leave-for-philly-workers.html

by s.e. smith January 18, 2015

Just last month, an inquiry recommended that Philadelphia implement mandatory paid sick leave. Now, two state senators on either side of the aisle want to put a torpedo in that with legislation that would bar mandatory paid sick leave in Pennsylvania, an utterly bizarre move that could have serious public health implications in addition to putting a burden on workers. As it stands now in the state and its municipalities, sick leave is only available at the discretion of employers, and with this legislation, it will stay that way, despite the mounting evidence in favor of requiring employers to provide such compensation.

Along with the fight for fair wages, paid sick leave has become a growing issue in the United States, with advocates clamoring for mandatory laws across the country. Such laws provide a number of social benefits, starting with the obvious public health implications: If sick people aren’t coming to work, they’re not spreading infectious organisms to coworkers and customers. In addition, time off can help people recover more quickly, and paid leave ensures that people don’t feel pressured into coming to work to pay rent and address other expenses. Moreover, despite claims that it hurts businesses, it actually increases productivity and reduces turnover, with a very small wage increase at the start of such policies followed by a leveling off.

Senators Lisa Boscola (D) and John Eichelberger (R) claim that mandatory leave is unfair to businesses, ignoring a variety of studies that suggest the contrary. In particular, they site compliance difficulties for companies with operations in more than one city, claiming that it would be difficult to implement a sick leave policy in one city while applying a different one in another. More than ten states have already passed such bills, and most unsurprisingly, are known for offering minimal labor protections. The bill doesn’t just target paid sick leave mandates — it would also bar mandates for any kind of leave, except for those in the state’s labor law. Therefore, any municipality trying to add protections for workers would be breaking the law if it went outside state requirements.


FULL story and E petition at link.

[ck4829]

1. YES! Please sneeze on my food and other goods.

Thank goodness for legislators who realize that some of us want people to work regardless of how sick they are, because bed rest is for commies.

[NoJusticeNoPeace]

2. When said senator or a family member of said senator get sick because of this

irresponsible behavior, then and only then will that change.

The democrat in this case is not acting like a Democrat...

[Vinca]

3. When employees come to work ill to avoid losing pay, it's a public health issue.

How anyone can think paid sick leave is a bad idea is astonishing. I hope their plates are the ones sneezed on at the diner.