May 18, 2009
May 18, 2009
Protecting America from Infectious Disease: U.S. Lags World in Paid Sick Days for Workers and Families
2:00 – 3:00 p.m.
HC-8, U.S. Capitol Building
Washington, DC
Recently the Centers for Disease Control advised people to stay home if they have flu symptoms in order to avoid infecting others in their communities. But the 60 million American workers who don’t have paid sick time can’t afford to give up their wages and possibly risk their jobs by staying home. While some may argue that providing paid sick days is too costly for employers, all of the most competitive economies in the world, except the U.S., provide paid sick time to their workers. To effectively control infectious diseases, can American afford NOT to do the same?
Dr. Jody Heymann, co-author of a CEPR paper on paid sick days in the U.S. and other developed countries, discussed this important issue at this CEPR briefing. Karen Minatelli of the National Partnership for Women and Families and Barbara Gault of the Institute for Women’s Policy Research will also participated.
