The City Council of Washington, D.C., has voted in favor of legislation that would require employers to offer employees paid sick leave. Before the legislation can reach the mayor's desk, however, the council must approve the legislation again in a second vote next month.
The question of whether employers should be required to offer paid sick leave could be put to the voters of several states in 2008, according to a USA Today article.
Thirty-nine percent of workers admit they have called in sick to work to enjoy a day off during the summer vacation season, according to an online survey conducted by Harris Interactive for Kronos Incorporated.
Senator Ted Kennedy of Massachusetts has introduced legislation that would require employers to provide 7 days of paid sick leave to employees working 30 or more hours per week.
San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom has signed an ordinance that establishes a transition period for employers to implement the city's paid sick leave requirement.
Several groups are trying to build support for state and federal legislation that would require employers to provide paid sick leave to employees, the New York Times reports.
Thirty-two percent of workers say they have called in sick when they felt well at least once in the last year, according to a survey by CareerBuilder.com. One-in-ten workers admitted to doing so three times or more.
