Workers: Sick for justice

If you or your children get sick and have to stay home from work, you should be able to stay home without getting your pay docked or losing your job, right? It seems like common sense -- indeed, 60% of Americans think it's already the law.

But it's not, and the Progressive States Network is hosting a national conference call today to discuss how to pass Paid Sick Day legislation as part of their Family-Friendly Agenda. Progressive States gives a run-down on the situation:

* Private employers have the right to fire an employee if they miss any day of work for any reason -- unless they are protected by a union collective bargaining agreement, which fewer Southern workers are protected by.

* Many employers have established voluntary policies to provide days for their employees, but barely half (51%) of employers provide any paid sick days to their employees and only one in three (30%) allow employees to take off work because of a sick child.

* 68% of working-class families have two weeks or less of vacation and sick leave combined.

* 70% of parents face losing income or even losing their job every time they stay home with a sick child.

As the Boston Globe noted last year, it's not only bad for workers -- it's also bad for companies and the economy. Employees who show up sick aren't doing anyone favors: according to one estimate, health problems cost about $225 billion in lost work time a year -- and 71% of that can be traced to sick workers passing on their health problems to others at the workplace.

Several places -- Maine, San Francisco, and Madison, WI -- either have or are considering laws that would stop workers for being penalized for tending to health care needs.

To join the Progressive States conference call today, visit here.