OP-ED

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT: Nicole Reigelman
House Democratic Communications Office
Phone: 717-787-7895
Fax: 717-783-6839
Email: nreigelm@pahouse.net

State Rep. Marc Gergely
D-Allegheny
www.pahouse.com/gergely  

 

 

Why should businesses offer paid sick leave?

         Because a healthy work force is a more productive workforce

 

Recently, I introduced pro-worker legislation, but I would like to take this opportunity to demonstrate how my paid sick leave proposal is also pro-employer and will boost the state’s economy.

 

First, my proposal: Under my bill, employees in Pennsylvania would accrue one hour of sick leave for every 40 hours worked. As a safety net for employers, businesses would not be required to provide more than 52 hours of sick leave per employee, per year.  

 

Businesses with fewer than 10 employees would only be required to provide one hour of leave per 80 hours worked. Employers in that category would not be required to provide more than 26 hours of sick leave per worker annually.

 

The implications of employees who show up for work despite being sick are costly for businesses. Studies indicate companies without paid sick leave, even small businesses, have a higher rate of turnover, which leads to higher costs for training new workers. Further, an obvious consequence is reduced productivity and lower morale.

 

When employees make the choice to come to work sick they also stand a greater chance of spreading their illness to other employees, lowering productivity even further.

 

For businesses where employees have frequent customer interaction, as in restaurants and retail, some patrons will likely be driven away by an obviously sick employee.

 

A recent cost-benefit analysis by the Institute for Women’s Policy Research found that if workers were provided just seven days of paid sick leave a year, our national economy would experience a net savings of $8.2 billion a year. That is an incredible savings while improving quality of life and honoring traditional family values.

 

I invite people to contact me to learn more about my proposal, and how paid sick leave would create a healthier, stronger more productive Pennsylvania.

 

State Representative Marc Gergely                                                                                                       35th Legislative District

 

###nr/2007/mjh
l:\print\releases\sickleavebusiness.035