See recent articles on H1N1 and paid sick days in Crain's Chicago Business and The Chicago Tribune.
Urge your legislators to support the Healthy Workplace Act.
Share your story about how paid leave would help your family or business.
Too many workers can't afford to take time off to handle their own illness, that of a family member, or to care for a new child. Kids and families suffer when they don't get the medical care and attention they need. Business productivity suffers too.
We can do better. Join our efforts to pass an affordable leave policy in Illinois. This year, Women Employed is leading the Illinois Paid Leave Coalition to enact paid sick days.
- At some point, everyone will need time off from work for a health-related reason. However, employers in Illinois are not required to provide any paid time off.
- Working families need the support paid leave would provide; 77 percent of the lowest-wage workers have no paid sick leave at all.
The proposed Healthy Workplace Act (HB 3665) will:
- Allow employees to earn up to 7 paid sick days per year, accrued hourly for every 30 hours worked.
- Provide leave: 1) for an employee's own illness; 2) to care for the illness of an employee's family member; or 3) for medical appointments.
- Require employers who do not already provide at least 7 paid sick days to pay for this standard employment benefit when needed by their workers.
Take our new two-minute survey to share information about your paid sick days policy.
Learn more about our paid sick days proposal for Illinois.
For more information or to join Illinois' Paid Leave Coalition, please contact Melissa Josephs.
Research Shows Paid Sick Days Could Save Employers Millions
A new report by the Institute for Women's Policy Research (IWPR) shows that offering paid sick days would benefit not just Illinois workers, but would also save their employers millions. Download the executive summary.
Illinois Paid Leave Coalition Members:
Access Living of Metropolitan Chicago
Action for Children
Action Now
AFL-CIO IL
AFSCME Council 31
AIDS Foundation of Chicago
AIDS Legal Council of Chicago
Arise Chicago
Breast Cancer Network of Strength
Center for Tax and Budget Accountability
Chicago Foundation for Women
Chicago Jobs Council
Chicago National Organization for Women
Chicago Urban League
Chicago Women AIDS Project
Chicago Women in Trades
Citizen Action/Illinois
DuPage Area Older Women's League
Equip for Equality
Evanston-North Shore National Organization for Women
Federation of College Clerical and Technical Personnel, Local 1708
Heartland Alliance
Health and Medicine Policy Research Group
IBEW Local 21
Illinois Caucus for Adolescent Health
Illinois Chapter, American Academy of Pediatrics
Illinois Federation of Teachers
Illinois Maternal and Child Health Coalition
Illinois National Organization for Women
Illinois Nurses Association
Illinois Planned Parenthood Council
Illinois Public Health Association
Local 881 UFCW
National Council of Jewish Women -- IL State Public Affairs Network
National Employment Lawyers Association-IL
National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Greater Illinois Chapter
Northwest Suburban National Organization for Women
ParentsWork
POWER-PAC (Parents Organized to Win, Educate and Renew -- Policy Action Council)
Project IRENE
Protestants for the Common Good
Quad County Urban League
Restaurant Opportunities Center (ROC) Chicago
Sargent Shriver National Center on Poverty Law
SEIU Illinois Council
SEIU Healthcare
SEIU Local 1
UNITE HERE Local 1
Voices for Illinois Children
Women Employed
Younger Women's Task Force Chicago Chapter
YWCA Alton
YWCA Aurora
YWCA Canton
YWCA Decatur
YWCA Elgin
YWCA Evanston/North Shore
YWCA Kankakee
YWCA Lake County
YWCA McLean County
YWCA of Metropolitan Chicago
YWCA Pekin
YWCA Peoria
YWCA Quincy
YWCA Rockford
YWCA Sauk Valley
YWCA Springfield
YWCA University of Illinois
