Take Action for Paid Sick Time in New York City

Whether it’s the swine flu, seasonal flu or another illness, workers shouldn’t have to go without their pay, risk retaliation or even losing their jobs when they are sick or need to take care of a sick child. But that’s the situation for over a million New Yorkers who don’t get a single day of paid sick time on their jobs.

When people can’t afford to take off from work to get needed health care or recover from illnesses, it’s not just unfair for them, it’s a public health risk and ultimately drives up health care costs. The experience in other cities like San Francisco that already have paid sick time laws shows that predictions that this policy might hurt small businesses are just not borne out. Avoiding spread of illnesses to co-workers, customers and their families keeps businesses healthy, too. That’s why we should all be able to earn sick time on our jobs.

What you can do to take action:

• Join us at noon on January 18, 2012, at a rally to relaunch the New York City paid sick time campaign. Click here for more details.  For a flyer in Spanish, click here.
• Send a letter to the New York City Council.
• Contact us at 212-430-5982 if you are interested in sharing your story about why paid sick time is important to working families.
• Add your name to a SignOn.org petition in support of the New York City Paid Sick Time Act.
• Visit the Time to Care Web Site to download printable posters for your workplace to show the support of this important cause.