NAACP Supports Legislation to Allow Workers Paid Sick Leave to Recover from Their Own Illness for Care for Sick Family Members

WHEREAS, in the United States today, nearly half (48%) of private-sector workers do not have a single paid sick day to use for themselves to care for a family member; and

WHEREAS, 94 million hard-working Americans do not have a single paid sick day they can use to care for a sick child or parent; and

WHEREAS, in 78% of today's families, both parents work for pay — and the typical couple in America now works close to 90 hour's a week; and

WHEREAS, nearly half (49%) of working mothers miss work when a child becomes sick with a common illness, and women are more likely to have low­ wage jobs that do not offer paid sick days; and

WHEREAS, more than three out of every four low-wage workers (79%) do not have a single paid sick day for themselves; and

WHEREAS, half of all low-wage working parents report losing pay to stay home and care for a sick child or being forced to leave their sick children home alone; and

WHEREAS, a disproportionate number of workers without paid sick leave work with the public; 78% of food and hotel workers do not have a single paid sick day, nor do many of the men and women employed in child care centers, retail establishments, and nursing homes. When these people go to work sick, their colleagues and all others with whom they come in contact face an increased risk of illness; and

WHEREAS, too often workers are often forced to choose between their health and their jobs, parents are often forced to choose between their children and their employers, and adults are often forced to choose between their parents and their paychecks:

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the NAACP supports the legislation: The Healthy Families Act (S. 910, introduced by Senator Kennedy Of Massachusetts and H.R. 1542 introduced by Congresswoman (Delaura of Connecticut) which guarantees full-time workers at least seven paid sick days a year and part-time workers a pro-rata amount of sick days to recover from their own illness or care for a sick family member.