Universal paid sick leave would benefit businesses as well as public health, a new report from the Center for American Progress says.
"Guaranteeing paid sick leave ensures that people can get the care they need or care for a loved one without risking their economic security," said Bela Salas-Betsch, Research Associate, Women’s Initiative for the center, the author of the report.
Also, it would benefit businesses by encouraging people to stay home, away from other workers, when they're sick.
"The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends workers stay home when sick to minimize contact and reduce the spread of disease, but many workers cannot afford to take time off without pay," the report said. "Unsurprisingly, then, paid sick time increases the likelihood a worker will stay home when sick, rather than bring illness into the workplace. For example, an expanded paid sick leave policy at Olive Garden lowered the share of workers who reported working while sick in the prior month by 15 percentage points," the report said.
"While no U.S. federal law generally guarantees the right to paid sick time, 14 states, Washington, D.C., and many cities and counties have state and local paid sick time laws," the report says. "Still, almost 1 in 4 private sector workers -- about 28 million workers in total — do not have access to even a single paid sick day. Furthermore, the lowest 10 percent of earners are half as likely to have paid sick time as the private sector workforce as a whole, and part-time workers are much less likely to have paid sick time than full-time workers, with access varying significantly by occupation," the report said.
The report says that paid sick time contributes to higher worker productivity, decreased turnover rates, and increased employee morale. By prioritizing public health and recognizing the economic advantages, the report argues that guaranteeing universal paid sick time is a prudent and beneficial policy choice.
"To ensure that workers don't have to make this impossible decision, Congress must pass the Healthy Families Act to guarantee the right to paid sick time to support workers and strengthen public health and our economy," Salas-Betsch said.
