Paid sick days are the responsible way to prevent the spread of disease and keep everyone healthy by encouraging sick workers and children to stay home – away from co-workers, schoolmates, and customers. Yet an estimated 1 million people working in Washington have no paid sick leave, including:

• 170,000 in accommodation and food service
• 167,000 in retail
• 93,000 in health care and social assistance

During the 2016 legislative session, we advocated for paid sick and safe leave legislation. This bill would have assured workers in firms with more than four employees the right to earn paid leave:

• to take care of illness, preventative care, or other health needs of the worker or a worker’s family member, or
• to deal with the consequences of domestic violence, sexual assault or stalking.

The bill did not pass, but it is likely that you will have an opportunity to vote in November on a ballot measure that would raise the statewide minimum wage and require employers to provide paid sick and safe leave. Stayed tuned for more on this issue later this year!

Learn more about this issue on the Washington Work and Family Coalition website.