Need to Call in Sick? Hope You Don't Live in America

by Alex DiBranco · 2010-05-11 14:22:00 UTC
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Around the world, 145 countries guarantee some kind of paid sick leave for their workers. The United States is not one of them.

So if you or a family member are sick in the U.S. of A., you might just be out of luck. The 60% of the workforce covered by the Family and Medical Leave Act can consider themselves privileged to be allowed to take sick days sans pay, but for people living paycheck to paycheck, sometimes that isn't a real option.

On Momsrising.org, Congressperson Rosa DeLauro states, "According to a 2008 study, one in six workers report that they or a family member had been fired, suspended, punished or threatened with firing for taking time off due to personal illness or to care for a relative. It is a choice no one should be faced with: go to work and send your sick child to school, or stay at home to care for her and risk losing your job."

DeLauro also points out the health risk to the entire population from such unforgiving laws on getting sick: when swine flu struck and warning to stay home and not infect others were blaring, people continued to head to work sick, because they didn't have any choice. This is especially a problem in the food service industry, where a mere 15% of employees can take paid days off for illness. I don't know about you, but thinking about someone sneezing on my food makes me lose my appetite.

But there's something you can do to change this. Sign the petition to pass the Healthy Families Act, which would let sick people stay in bed, where they belong.

Photo credit: Voces de la Frontera

Alex DiBranco is a Change.org Editor who has worked for the Nation, Political Research Associates, and the Center for American Progress. She is now based in New York City.
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