Seattle proposes rules for Paid Sick and Safe Leave ordinance – first community comment mtg tomorrow

Posted on April 11, 2012 by

The Seattle Office for Civil Rights (SOCR) has proposed Administrative Rules for the City Paid Sick and Safe Leave Ordinance – you can see them here: http://www.cityofseattle.net/civilrights/SickLeave.htm.

Public comment will be taken until Monday, April 30, 2012. Your input will be used to shape the final language of the Rules, which define terms used in the ordinance, and to clarify how SOCR will conduct enforcement.

Send comments via e-mail to rulecomment@seattle.gov, give input online at http://www.seattle.gov/civilrights/comment.htm, or submit them in writing to:

Seattle Office for Civil Rights
810 Third Ave., Suite 750
Seattle, WA  98104-1627
Attn:  Paid Sick/Safe Time Rule Comment

Two community meetings have been scheduled to take comments on the draft Rules. Both meetings are free and open to the public.

  • Thursday, April 12, 8:30-10:30 am.
    Bertha Knight Landes Room, Seattle City Hall, 600 4th Avenue
  • Tuesday, April 17, 3-5 pm.
    Treehouse, 2100 24th Ave. S. Room A

For more information about the meetings, to request language interpretation or an accommodation for a disability, contact Thai Nguyen at 206-684-4514 or thai.nguyen@seattle.gov.

If you have general questions about the Ordinance or about the materials available online, please contact Elliott.bronstein@seattle.gov or 206-684-4507.

[Cross-posted from Washington Policy Watch]

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Who needs facts when you have magic? NFIB pulls numbers out of a hat to make case against paid sick days

Posted on March 27, 2012 by

Ellen Bravo

Paid sick days are good for our economy, according to numerous studies by seasoned economists. That’s why Americans in cities and states across the country from all parts of the political spectrum support this policy.

The same policy is under fierce attack by big corporate lobbyists, whose job it is to protect the top 1% of society – folks who, of course, already have paid sick days. In their attempts to scare small business owners and the public, the corporate lobbyists have created a whole new math system to justify their position.

The abra-ca-dabra arithmetic practiced by the National Federation of Independent Businesses, (NFIB,) one of the Big Six corporate lobbies, is simply about pulling numbers out of a hat and daring to call it economics.

The NFIB is currently peddling a so-called “study” in Massachusetts, proclaiming that proposed legislation allowing workers to earn paid sick days in that state would cost huge amounts and be a disaster for small business. Legitimate research estimates the legislation would save businesses in that state upwards of $348 million and save hospital emergency rooms another $22.7 million, including $13.4 million in taxpayer-funded public health savings.

As economists have pointed out about a similar tome produced in Philadelphia, the NFIB document rests on incorrect facts and flawed assumptions. Here are a few examples: Continue reading →

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Make sure candidates know you and your family care about paid sick days and paid family leave!

Posted on March 26, 2012 by

Will Washington’s 2013-14 Legislature support paid sick days and paid family and medical leave insurance? All the seats in Washington’s House of Representatives and half of the seats in the Senate will be on the ballot this November.

Washington’s regular 2012 legislative session ended without action on the Paid Sick Days bill. The special session that convened in mid-March is focused on the state budget.

Will Washington’s 2013-14 Legislature support paid sick days and paid family and medical leave insurance? All the seats in Washington’s House of Representatives and half of the seats in the Senate will be on the ballot this November.

Be sure the candidates running in your district know that you and your family members care about these issues! Here are questions you can ask at candidate forums:

  • Paid Sick Days: The City of Seattle as well as several other cities and the state of Connecticut have established minimum standards for paid sick leave, to protect public health, family economic security, and worker productivity and business health.In Seattle, businesses with between 5 and 49 full-time-equivalent employees (FTEs) will be entitled to up to 40 hours of sick leave  per year; those with 50 to 249 FTEs have up to 56 hours, and larger businesses will be required to provide up to 72 hours per year.Would you support adopting a similar standard for all workers in the state?
  • Family and Medical Leave Insurance: In 2007, the Washington State Legislature passed Family Leave Insurance that provided for individuals to take up to five weeks of paid leave to care for a new born or adopted child. However, the legislature did not set up a mechanism for funding the program and has postponed implementation until 2015.Other states, including California and New Jersey, have successfully established programs that provide 6 weeks of partial wage replacement to care for a new child or sick family member, as well as more extended leave for the worker’s own serious health condition, funded through modest payroll taxes.Would you support expanding and funding Washington’s Family and Medical Leave Insurance program as other states have done?
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Help your state legislators understand why paid sick and safe days matter

Posted on January 20, 2012 by

State lawmakers are studying paid sick and safe days bills - and they need to hear your stories!

UPDATED – 01/20/2012, 4:32 PM

Washington lawmakers are studying two Paid Sick and Safe Days bills during this legislative session (House Bill 2508 and Senate Bill 6229) – and they need to hear from you!

Please contact your legislators now to tell them why Paid Sick and Safe Days are important for you and your family’s health and economic security.

And if you’re able, come down to Olympia to show your support for the legislation at these committee hearings:

  • Tues, Jan 24, 1:30-3:30 pm, Cherburg Senate Hearing Room 4: Labor, Commerce & Consumer Protection Committee
  • Wed, Jan 25, 1:30-3:30 pm, Joint Legislative Office Building, House Hearing Rm C: Labor and Workforce Development Committee

You can learn more about the proposed legislation in this handy overview.

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Seattle is getting down to the details on paid sick days – and your input is crucial!

Posted on January 20, 2012 by

Eli Lanczos testifies at a Seattle City Council hearing in favor of paid sick days

Crossposted from the Washington Family Leave Coalition:

You helped pass paid sick days in Seattle – but the devil is in the details. As the city begins drafting the rules that will actually implement the new ordinance, your input is crucial!

By attending one of these meetings, you can help ensure Seattle’s Paid Sick Days ordinance is a success!:

  • Tuesday, January 24, 2-3:30 p.m.
    Seattle City Hall, Bertha Landis Room
  • Wednesday, February 1, 7-8:30 p.m.
    Meadowbrook Community Center, Room 22
  • Thursday, February 9, 7-8:30 p.m.
    Jefferson Community Center, Hassselburg Hall
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Washington state Legislature introduces Paid Sick Days bills

Posted on January 17, 2012 by

Via the Washington Family Leave Coalition:

Last week, HB 2508 and SB 6229 were introduced in Washington’s legislature by a group of 18 legislators from the House and Senate. These bills would establish minimum standards for paid sick and safe leave for workers across the state of Washington – similar to a standard adopted by the Seattle City Council in September 2011.

The Washington Family Leave Coalition will be working with legislators on the Paid Sick and Safe Leave bills in the coming weeks – but we need your help. Public hearings on the bills will be held in late Januray, and we need people who can share personal testimony about importance of paid sick days for working people and families.

If you can help, please contact Marilyn Watkins.

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The Cost of Not Taking a Sick Day

Posted on January 11, 2012 by

From The Atlantic:

Your nose is running, your throat is scratchy, and your eyes are burning. But you drag yourself out of bed, dress, and head to the office anyway feeling virtuous and sick. Once there, you proceed to share your virus with your coworkers. But at least you showed up to get the job done, right?

Wrong, according to a new study. Presenteeism — attending work while ill — is not always a smart choice for individuals or the organizations for which they work. It is entirely possible that a worker who is ill may be present physically, but mentally he or she might as well be home in bed.

A flu or cold virus or other illness spreading among coworkers can mean the loss of more than one employee’s productivity. It can paralyze entire departments. The study found that certain organizational cultures tend to promote presenteeism, or at least discourage absenteeism.

For the study, Gary Johns, a management professor at Concordia’s John Molson School of Business surveyed 444 people, asking about their job requirements, work experience, the numbers of days they had been out sick (absenteeism), and the number of days they had come to work feeling ill (presenteeism).

Read more from The Atlantic: The Cost of Not Taking a Sick Day »

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