Business News on Paid Sick Days
Julie Schwartz Weber December 3rd, 2008
What does paid sick days legislation really mean for business? Until recently, there has been scant amount of “real life” data to draw upon when discussing the business impacts of paid sick days programs. In fact, it was only recently – in February 2007 – that the country’s first paid sick days program was approved in San Francisco. However, almost two years after the approval of this paid sick days standard in San Francisco, some evidence is emerging that is good news for business.
First, according to a new fact sheet from the Institute for Women’s Policy Research (IWPR), job growth in San Francisco has not been negatively affected by the measure. In fact, the fact sheet notes that despite a national economic slowdown, San Francisco’s job growth rate exceeds the average growth rate of nearby counties.
Second, according to the IWPR material, assessments of San Francisco’s new paid sick days policy by business organizations, including the Golden Gate Restaurant Association and the San Francisco Chambers of Commerce, emphasize the lack of negative impact on employers. In fact, the Director of the Golden Gate Restaurant Association went as far as to characterize the policy as “successful.”
Vicky Lovell, acting director of research at IWPR, concludes: “This [data] offers reassuring evidence that paid sick days can be implemented in Milwaukee and other places without a loss of jobs.”
What do you think about this? “States push laws to require paid sick days “. -Some 46 million U.S. workers lack paid sick days, but lawmakers in 12 states _ including California, Connecticut, Minnesota and West Virginia _ have proposed legislation in the past year that would require businesses to provide them.
I think this is really good news for business. This is program must approved in all states.
I think that a set number of personal days off that can be used as sick days, vacation days or personal days in the best solution.