In Focus: Paid Sick Days
Mar 13, 2013 | Permalink »
Portland Wins Sick Day and Everybody Benefits
The Portland City Council, on March 13, 2013, approved a bill establishing a minimum number of sick days for workers throughout the city. Portland now joins other jurisdictions around the nation -- San Francisco, Seattle, Washington, D.C. and Connecticut -- in establishing sick days laws.
Portland's new law did not simply pass; the ordinance passed by a unanimous 5-0 vote. Unanimous. As in "undivided" "agreed" and "undisputed." This represents an extraordinary amount of hard work and negotiation by the bill's proponents-advocates, businesses, and city citizens. The Council bill includes a set of "findings," the very first one of which captures what is at the heart of the debate:
"It is the policy of the City of Portland to ensure that all Persons who work in businesses located in Portland can stay at home when they or a close family member are sick, injured or in need of preventive medical care, in order to prevent the spread of disease and to allow all Portland residents to provide health care for a family member."
The new law requires that employers with five employees or less provide at least one hour of unpaid sick leave for every 30 hours worked. Those with six or more employees will be required to provide at least one hour of paid leave for every 30 hours. Employees have up to five days of leave through the law; employers are always able to go beyond this minimum standard.
The effort to pass the ordinance demonstrated wide-spread support. The "Everybody Benefits" campaign for paid sick days showcased nearly 40 business supporters ranging from an auto clinic to a grocer to a construction company. Business associations weighed in as well. The African American Chamber of Commerce was a supporter; Oregon's Main Street Alliance and Voice for Oregon Innovation & Sustainability (VOIS) Business Alliance issued a report "Understanding Earned Sick Time in Portland: A Guide for Businesses" showing that the benefits to small businesses of earned sick days outweigh the costs. It was not just business support that won the day. Many others joined in. For example, the city's Human Rights Commission and 3 health associations stepped forward; no fewer than 10,000 people signed and sent requests for action.
The law is set to take effect on January 1, 2014. Before then, the success in Portland will undoubtedly have an impact far beyond the city's borders. That's because it will help elected officials in communities and states where campaigns are underway know that yet another group of elected officials has already taken action to address the need for sick days. There are active campaigns in New York City and bills are under consideration in Washington State, Vermont, and Massachusetts.
The growing success of this sick days movement should also send a loud and clear signal to the nation's capital about the need for federal action. Portland's action is timely: the Healthy Families Act is expected to be reintroduced in Congress within the month and Members from all around the country will have a chance to co-sponsor and demonstrate their commitment to earned sick days. Thank you Portland for inching the nation forward, and giving Congress another reason to move towards earned sick days and a country where everybody benefits.
Mar 01, 2013 | Permalink »
New Tool for Job Quality Advocates: A Primer on Business Certifications
Today, CLASP and its partner, the American Sustainable Business Council (ASBC), released a new tool for job quality advocates, including advocates for earned sick days and paid family leave. The jointly produced brief provides advocates with a primer on the nuts and bolts of the business certification movement and suggests ways to foster fruitful relationships between the movement and campaigns for improved job quality, such as earned sick days campaigns.
Increasingly, businesses are seeking out certifications as means to assess their impact and verify that their practices are consistent with their values. Such certifications — which assess practices regarding environmental sustainability, living wages, paid sick days, flexible schedules, etc. — help businesses to maintain a high level of commitment to ethical practices and allow them to showcase this commitment to consumers and the public. In addition, a growing number of states have adopted “benefit corporation” legislation, which promotes and legally protects socially responsible businesses, many of which have attained certifications.
For job quality advocates, who are increasingly recognizing the crucial role of business support in successful campaigns, both certifying organizations and certified businesses can be valuable partners. Be sure to read the brief and follow up with ASBC in order to learn more.
Feb 27, 2013 | Permalink »
Implementing Earned Sick Days Laws: Learning from Seattle's Experience
Advocates in Seattle fought hard to build the support necessary to pass the city’s Paid Sick and Safe Time (PSST) Ordinance. But the hard work did not end when the law passed in September 2011. Once the ink on Seattle’s ordinance had dried, the process of implementing the law began.
The task of implementation in Seattle fell to the city’s Office for Civil Rights (SOCR). SOCR’s small but energetic staff has approached the complex job with a drive that not only reflects a commitment to ensuring that the law protects the rights of Seattle’s workers, but also a desire to listen carefully to business concerns about the law. The city has launched a thoughtful and creative implementation and outreach strategy that has been attentive to business needs, spread the word about the law to diverse groups of Seattle workers and employers, and provided an unparalleled level of technical assistance to employers seeking to comply with the law.
Elliott Bronstein, SOCR’s Public Information Coordinator, explains, “The thing that I’m proudest of is our work with employers to answer their questions, to make this as intelligible to them as possible, and to listen closely to their concerns during the rule drafting process.” By taking a constructive approach, Seattle has brought employers on board, helping to ensure that employees are receiving the paid sick and safe time they have earned.
CLASP spoke with SOCR staff to better understand the implementation process. Today, CLASP is releasing an issue brief that draws upon Seattle’s experience to delineate best practices for implementing such laws. It is the first in a series of implementation briefs that draw on the experiences of jurisdictions that have passed earned sick days laws. Watch for additional briefs in the coming weeks, as well as a summary of best practices from all jurisdictions.
Momentum for earned sick days laws is building around the country, with active campaigns in several cities and states. As more sick days laws pass, more governments will face the challenging task of implementing these laws. Those facing this task have much to learn from Seattle’s implementation work.
Read the brief >>