Expanded Sick Days
Ask your legislators to sign on as cosponsors and support S2453/A4209 which would strengthen and expand our Earned Sick Leave Law.
In a nutshell, our re-opening is going to fail unless workers can be guaranteed PAID sick leave in order to quarantine if they have been exposed or to stay home sick with even a mild case of COVID.
As New Jersey takes steps to re-open parts of our state, we must do more to protect our workers called back to work – and prevent the spread of COVID-19.
One of the most basic steps to protect public health during a pandemic is for workers who are sick, or who have been exposed to the virus, to quarantine themselves. If we are to continue to save lives, keep the curve flat, and are moving forward on the path to re-opening, we must ensure that all workers have access to enough paid sick days.
The CARES Act exempted employers with over 500 employees and virtually all health care workers. That means an estimated 58 percent of New Jersey workers do not have access to emergency paid sick days, a critical component to ending a pandemic. Many of the workers left out are low paid, working at grocery store chains, big box stores and warehouses, and some have reported working in unsafe conditions, potentially exposed to sick coworkers and members of the public.
Bill S2453/A4209, sponsored by Senate Majority Leader Weinberg and Assemblywoman Lampitt would strengthen and expand the state Earned Sick Leave law (see fact sheet here) so that all workers can access both basic and emergency paid sick days, now and in the future.
Latest: WE NEED BILL COSPONSORS. Please ask your legislator to co-sponsor this bill!
LTEs would also be helpful on this issue – we need to elevate this issue!
