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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
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CONTACT: Nicole
Reigelman |
State Rep. Marc Gergely
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Gergely, workers’ advocates call for support of paid sick leave proposal
HARRISBURG, April 24 – State Rep. Marc Gergely, D-Allegheny, is introducing legislation that would allow workers to accrue paid sick leave dependent upon the number of hours worked.
Gergely said presently thousands of Pennsylvania workers are not entitled to paid sick leave to care for either themselves or for members of their families.
“This is a quality-of-life and family-values issue, “Gergely said. “Illnesses can occur at any time and when people are not afforded the opportunity to fully restore their health, it not only hurts the employee but can result a larger cost to employers in the end.”
Gergely said when ill employees go to work simply to be paid they can spread the sickness to other employees, as well reduce their own productivity.
The legislation would allow an employee to accrue one hour of sick leave for every 40 hours worked. As a safety net for employers, the employer is not required to provide more than 52 hours of sick leave per employee per year.
Gergely said employers with fewer than 10 employees would only be required to provide one hour of leave per 80 hours worked. Under this scenario, an employer would not be required to provide more than 26 hours of sick leave per year.
Under Gergely’s plan the employee can use paid sick leave for illness or injury, to seek medical diagnosis, receive care or treatment of an illness, for preventive medical care for either the employee or for a spouse, child, parent, grandparent or extended family member or other person related by blood.
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