Murray, DeLauro, Scott Urge President Obama to Expand Access to Paid Sick Days through Executive Order
Executive Order could guarantee access to paid sick days to 28 million federal contractors
WASHINGTON – Today, Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), the top Democrat on the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (D-CT), who has introduced the Healthy Families Act in every Congress since 2004 and whose home state of Connecticut was the first in the nation to ensure service workers had access to paid sick days, and Congressman Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (D-VA), the top Democrat on the House Education and Workforce Committee, sent a letter to President Barack Obama urging the Administration to issue an Executive Order to guarantee access to paid sick days to federal contractors. In their letter, the members of Congress noted that such an action could help 28 million workers.
“[Not having paid sick days] has negative consequences for public health, and it also affects the economic security of hardworking Americans who have to sacrifice a day’s pay or their job altogether just to take care of themselves or their sick child,” the members wrote in the letter. “We look forward to an Executive Order that expands access to paid sick days as quickly as possible. Our nation needs it.”
In February, members of the House and Senate introduced a bill called the Healthy Families Act that would allow workers at businesses with at least 15 employees to earn up to seven days of paid sick leave each year. The bill has 30 cosponsors in the Senate and 123 cosponsors in the House.
Read the full text of the letter.
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