Required Sick Days

In my post on presidential politics/predictions for the workplace (January 3), I noted whether the candidates support the proposed Healthy Families Act, which would, among other things, require employers to give employees seven paid sick days per year.

As reported in the Columbus Dispatch, the Ohio General Assembly is considering a state version of this legislation.  According to the Dispatch article, only San Francisco has adopted this kind of mandate, and no state has yet enacted it.   Connecticut, Florida and Pennsylvania are, however, also presently considering versions of the proposed law.  

Since the Ohio legislature is dealing with this measuere because there were enough Ohio voters who signed an initiative petition to send this measure to the legislature for consideration, the proposal seems to have popular support.  If the legislature doesn’t take action, the measure will be on the November 4 ballot in Ohio. 

If the federal version of the Healthy Families Act doesn’t develop enough traction to get the law passed, it will be interesting to see if this becomes something that begins to be tackled on a state by state basis.