A Virtual Rally for a Real-Life Need: Paid Sick Leave

April 28, AFL-CIO

The National Partnership for Women & Families kicked off their first-ever online rally for paid sick leave days on February 28, and it's still going strong. That means you still have a chance to make it to the rally.

Nearly 50 percent of private-sector workers have no paid sick days, and low-income workers fare even worse--76 percent have no paid sick leave. Overall, 57 million private-sector workers in this country have no paid sick days, and 94 million cannot use their paid sick days to care for a sick child.

The virtual rally was designed to ignite broad support for legislation in Congress that will solve a real-world problem. The Healthy Families Act (S. 910 and H.R. 1542) would guarantee paid sick leave for workers to recover from an illness or take care of a sick family member. When you visit the rally site, you can learn how to take action, share your story and more.

So far, thousands of working people have taken part in the online rally, where they have heard from community leaders, workers and union leaders about why we need a fundamental law ensuring paid sick days. Hundreds more shared their story about why paid sick days are important to them. Peggy from South Dakota wrote:

"Here I sit at home, missing two days of work from a flu, knowing that now I will run short in getting every bill paid this month. I feel under-appreciated and under-valued."

Workers without paid sick leave are forced to make wrenching choices between their health or their family's well-being. Workers with paid sick days have also shared their stories. Christine from Maryland explained:

"I am very lucky to have paid sick days. I was treated for breast cancer and needed to take sick days for surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy. I was single, with no additional income, a mortgage, car payment, etc. Not to mention medical expenses! If I had to forgo all of that income for days missed, it could have bankrupted me. Every worker needs paid sick days."