Happy Birthday, FMLA! Now let’s win paid sick, family leave

(Feb. 5, 2015) — Today is the 22nd anniversary of the passage of the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) that allows workers to take unpaid leave to care for an ill family member or themselves without fear of losing their jobs or health insurance.

The FMLA’s unpaid leave with job protections was a good first step. But today, there are millions of workers who can’t afford to take time off for their own or a loved one’s illnesses. Forty percent of all private-sector workers don’t have any paid sick days and that doubles to 80% for low-wage workers.

Next week, the U.S. Senate will take up the Healthy Families Act, introduced by Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) and Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.). It would give workers the opportunity to earn up to seven paid sick days they could use for personal illnesses or to take care of sick family members.

There also is a growing move across the nation, from Congress to statehouses to city halls, to pass paid family leave and paid sick days legislation. In his State of the Union address, President Barack Obama said:

Forty-three million workers have no paid sick leave—43 million.  Think about that.  And that forces too many parents to make the gut-wrenching choice between a paycheck and a sick kid at home.  So I’ll be taking new action to help states adopt paid leave laws of their own.  And since paid sick leave won where it was on the ballot last November, let’s put it to a vote right here in Washington.   Send me a bill that gives every worker in America the opportunity to earn seven days of paid sick leave.  It’s the right thing to do.  It’s the right thing to do.

In Washington, the state legislature is now considering passage of HB 1356, sponsored by Rep. Laurie Jinkins (D-Tacoma), to allow all workers to earn at least 40 hours of paid time off per year. Learn more.

The following is from AFL-CIO Now: