On Friday, Minnesota ACORN and local unions will demonstrate in St. Paul to demand that all workers get paid time off when they are sick. The demonstrators will gather at noon at the corner of University and Snelling Avenues in St. Paul.
They\'ll be joined by state Sen. Ellen Anderson and Rep. John Lesch, authors of the "Healthy Families, Healthy Workplaces Act," that would require employers with 10 or more workers to offer 52 hours of paid sick leave per year. The requirement would be halved for employers with fewer than 10 workers.
Forty-one percent of workers in Minnesota lack paid sick days, according to an analysis of data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
"That means that over 1 million Minnesota workers lack any ability to stay home from work to get well or to care for a sick child or relative without losing a day of pay," ACORN said in announcing the rally. "Low-wage workers are hit hardest. Three in four low-wage workers – and 85 percent of workers in the food service industry - have no paid sick days.
"Sick workers are less productive and can spread illness throughout the workplace, costing employers in lost productivity. By providing paid sick days, employers would benefit from reduced turnover, higher productivity, and reducing the spread of contagion in the workplace."
Groups supporting the paid sick days legislation include the Minnesota AFL-CIO, UFCW, Children Defense Fund Minnesota, SEIU MN State Council, Minnesota Association of Professional Employees, Business and Professional Women Minnesota and the Minnesota Women\'s Political Caucus.
Families or workers affected by a lack of paid sick days may call ACORN at 651-642-9639.
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On Friday, Minnesota ACORN and local unions will demonstrate in St. Paul to demand that all workers get paid time off when they are sick. The demonstrators will gather at noon at the corner of University and Snelling Avenues in St. Paul.
They\’ll be joined by state Sen. Ellen Anderson and Rep. John Lesch, authors of the "Healthy Families, Healthy Workplaces Act," that would require employers with 10 or more workers to offer 52 hours of paid sick leave per year. The requirement would be halved for employers with fewer than 10 workers.
Forty-one percent of workers in Minnesota lack paid sick days, according to an analysis of data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
"That means that over 1 million Minnesota workers lack any ability to stay home from work to get well or to care for a sick child or relative without losing a day of pay," ACORN said in announcing the rally. "Low-wage workers are hit hardest. Three in four low-wage workers – and 85 percent of workers in the food service industry – have no paid sick days.
"Sick workers are less productive and can spread illness throughout the workplace, costing employers in lost productivity. By providing paid sick days, employers would benefit from reduced turnover, higher productivity, and reducing the spread of contagion in the workplace."
Groups supporting the paid sick days legislation include the Minnesota AFL-CIO, UFCW, Children Defense Fund Minnesota, SEIU MN State Council, Minnesota Association of Professional Employees, Business and Professional Women Minnesota and the Minnesota Women\’s Political Caucus.
Families or workers affected by a lack of paid sick days may call ACORN at 651-642-9639.