The feds may soon force you to provide five paid sick days for every employee.
A bill was introduced last week that, if passed, would require employees to provide at least five paid sick days to workers with a contagious illness who are sent home or told to stay home.
Workers deciding to stay home on their own, claiming to be sick, would not be guaranteed paid sick days.
The legislation, called the Emergency Influenza Containment Act, was introduced by Rep. George Miller (D-CA), the chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee. It would apply to businesses with 15 or more employees and would take effect 15 days after being signed — and expire after two years.
Reason for the bill: Miller says he’s concerned that more than 40 million workers don’t have paid sick days.
What are the chances of sickness spreading? A sick employee reporting to work infects one in 10 co-workers, says to the Centers for Disease Control.
Currently, 39% of all private-sector workers don’t have paid sick days, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. And out of the lowest 25% of wage earners, 63% don’t have paid sick days.
Hearings on the bill have been scheduled for next week.
