One in six workers surveyed recently by the National Opinion Research Center at the University of Chicago say they or a family member had been fired, suspended, punished or threatened by an employer for taking sick time.
Those sorts of claims have turned sick time into a political hot potato.
A bill introduced in Congress, the Healthy Families Act, would mandate that employers with at least 15 workers give seven paid sick days to employees a year.
Would Congress be so bold to pass such a bill? Maybe, because surveys show about 80% of workers think paid time off for illness or taking care of sick relatives should be a basic worker’s right.
Of course, FMLA requires employers to hold jobs for a reasonable period for personal or family illness. But there’s no current federal law to mandate any of that time is paid.
Some states legislatures are also reviewing their own paid-time-off bills.
Do you think companies should be mandated by the federal government to provide a minimum amount of paid time off for illness to employees? What is your company’s policy? Let us know in the Comments box below.
Workers say they're punished for taking sick time
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