2/27/2024 0 Comments Paid medical leave![]() For the average worker without access to paid sick days, the costs of taking unpaid sick time can make a painful dent in their monthly budget, making it hard to pay for groceries (five days of unpaid sick time), utilities (three days of unpaid sick time), or gas (two days of unpaid sick time). Without the ability to earn paid sick days, workers must choose between going to work sick (or sending a child to school sick) and losing much-needed pay. Lack of paid sick days deprives workers of funds needed for basic necessities.However, only 39% of workers in the bottom 10% of the wage distribution do. ![]() Three-quarters (78%) of private-sector workers overall currently have access to paid sick days. Lack of paid sick days is a real problem, particularly for low-wage workers.Expanded coverage has particularly benefited low-wage workers-who were least likely to have access to paid sick leave before these policies went into effect. ![]() In areas of the country with these new laws, workers have seen significant increases in access to paid sick time. Over the last decade, 15 states and the District of Columbia have expanded labor protections to require employers to allow workers to earn paid sick time. This means lack of paid sick leave is a threat not only to a worker’s (and their family’s) own health, but also to the health of their community. When they are forced to send a sick child to school, they send contagion with them. Further, when workers go to work with a contagious illness, they are likely to spread disease to their coworkers and customers. But if these workers want to make sure they can pay the rent and buy groceries, they must work while sick or delay seeking treatment for themselves or their dependents.īeing forced to make this impossible choice threatens workers’ economic and health security. Taking needed time off means going without much-needed pay. These workers are faced with an impossible choice when they fall ill or need to provide care for a family member. As a result, many workers do not have paid sick time available to them. There is no federal law that ensures all workers in the United States are able to earn paid sick days. In the absence of a national standard, states and localities still have a critical role to play in expanding access to paid sick days. Passage of a national paid sick leave standard-such as the Healthy Families Act-would be the best way to ensure all workers are protected from health and economic insecurity when they become sick. But if they stay home, they may not be able to pay for groceries or rent. If they go to work sick (or send their child to school sick), they compromise their own (or their child’s) health. Workers without paid sick time are put in a precarious position. While this marks progress, it still means 61% of the lowest-wage workers do not have access to paid sick time.įor the average worker who lacks paid sick days, the costs of taking unpaid sick time can make a painful dent in their monthly budget. Overall, 78% of private-sector workers currently have access to paid sick days, up from 63% in 2010.Īcross the country, the share of the lowest-wage workers with access to paid sick time nearly doubled between 20, from 20% to 39%. This article originally appeared on The Herald News: Apply for Paid Family and Medical Leave Program in Portuguese in Mass.State-level laws providing the right to earn paid sick days corresponded with a significant increase in access to paid sick days across the country. “Eliminating language barriers for these benefits can be lifesaving for people, and I applaud the DFML team for their commitment to accessibility,” said Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll in a prepared statement.įor more information or to apply for Massachusetts Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) program, click here. ![]() This includes any conditional text, error text, or other prompts that an applicant might encounter during their application experience, according to a press release. When an applicant applies and selects his/her preferred language, the entire online application will be translated as well as the web pages that provide each applicant with status information and updates on their application. PFML benefits provide temporary income replacement and job protection to eligible workers who are welcoming a new child into their family, are struck by a serious illness or injury, need to take care of an ill or ailing relative, and for certain military considerations. “These new multilingual enhancements to PFML are part of our administration’s commitment to breaking down language barriers and gaps across state government,” said Governor Maura Healey in a prepared statement.“Together, we can help more residents access these important programs and allow them to take the leave they need when they need it most.”
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