Working to legislate sick leave

Here’s a look at protections workers have for paid sick time and proposals for change. Currently, California workers are entitled to partial pay for a long absence but may lack full pay for short absences.

Proposed California law (AB 2716, Healthy Families, Healthy Workplaces Act): Employees -- full- and part-time as well as public and private employees -- would earn one hour of paid sick time for every 30 hours worked. Sick time would carry over from year to year but medium-to-large employers could limit annual paid sick days to nine, small employers to five. For more information: www.leginfo.ca.gov /pub/07-08/bill/asm/ab_2701-2750 /ab_2716_bill_20080222_intro duced.pdf.

--

Proposed federal law (Healthy Families Act): Would guarantee that workers in companies with 15 or more employees receive at least seven paid sick days each year to care for themselves or sick family members. For more information: www.govtrack.us/congress/bill text.xpd?bill=s109-1085.

--

Ohio ballot initiative: Would require businesses of 25 or more employees to allow employees who work full time (defined as 30 hours a week or more) to earn seven paid sick days per year while part-time employees could earn a prorated number of paid sick days. Enough signatures have been gathered to place the initiative on the November ballot although it has not yet been certified.

--

Proposed Connecticut law: Would allow employees to accrue paid sick time at the rate of one hour for every 40 worked, up to 52 hours per year. The bill passed the state Senate but was not acted on by the Assembly before the conclusion of this year’s session.

--

Proposed Massachusetts law: Would require all businesses to guarantee full-time employees seven paid sick days per year that could be used for illness, care of sick family members, medical appointments or to address the effects of domestic violence. The bill is pending in the state Senate.

--

San Francisco law: Requires employers to give one hour of paid sick leave to any worker -- full- or part-time or temporary, public or private -- for every 30 hours worked. Employees are allowed to accrue up to 40 hours of paid sick leave per year if they work for a small employer (fewer than 10 employees); employees of larger employers can accrue up to 72 hours.

--

Washington, D.C., law: Requires full-time employees at private or public businesses with 100 or more workers to get seven days paid leave per year, those at medium-sized companies (25 to 99 employees) five days, and those at businesses with fewer than 25 employees three days. Employees must be on the job one year to become eligible for the benefit.

--

California Paid Family Leave law: Passed in 2002, it provides up to six weeks of wage replacement annually at about 55% of a worker’s weekly earnings (up to a certain amount) for employees who need time off to care for a new baby, recover from illness or take care of an ill family member. For information: www.edd.ca.gov/Disabil ity/Paid_Family_Leave.htm.

--

Federal Family and Medical Leave Act: Guarantees unpaid leave and job protection for 12 weeks within any 12-month period to employees if they have worked for their employer for at least 12 months, have worked at least 1,250 hours, and work for a company with at least 50 employees. For more information: www.dol.gov/esa /whd/fmla/.

-- Shari Roan