Earned Sick Days Bill and PathWays PA in the News (Lots of News!)

By MB -
Web-fed offset press printing newspapersThis has been a big week in the news media for the Coalition for Healthy Families and Workplaces and for PathWays PA.  Here are some of the PathWays PA highlights:

Philadelphia Gay News
"Council Considers Inclusive Sick Day Bill" by Jennifer Colletta
Marianne Bellesorte, senior director of policy at PathWays PA and a founding member of the Coalition for Healthy Families and Workplaces, said the measure is vital to Philadelphia families.

“What this would do is make sure all workers have access to earned sick days because they shouldn’t have to choose between the job they need and the family they love,” she said. “We’ve heard so many stories where people have to go to work sick because they can’t afford to take unpaid days and we’ve heard about people being retaliated against when they do have to take time, and it’s something people shouldn’t have to be faced with.”

The bill includes a stipulation that would prohibit retaliation against employees who use their earned sick time.

The measure is modeled after a law adopted in 2007 by San Francisco, the first of its kind in the nation.

Bellesorte noted that numerous businesses in San Francisco originally opposed the measure, but a recent survey showed a majority of city employers now favor the policy since its adoption.
Philadelphia Daily News 
"Sick-pay bill to exclude 'mom and pop' shops" - by Jan Ransom
The original bill, introduced in March, would have allowed employees at businesses with 11 or more employees to earn up to nine paid sick days, and those at businesses with 10 or fewer workers to earn up to five days. But the number of days was altered to seven and four days, respectively, after a horde of small-business owners contacted Greenlee saying the bill was bad for business.

"Obviously we would like to have a bill that can help every single person in the city of Philadelphia" said Marianne Bellesorte, senior director of policy for PathWays PA, an advocacy group for women, children and families. "We know some small businesses already give sick days. I think this is a compromise on both sides."
Other earned sick days news from this week includes the following stories:

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