The New York City Council has proposed a law that would provide paid sick days to all private sector workers.
According to the Department of Justice Office of Domestic Social Development, as of February 2009, 76% of low wage workers and 48% of full-time private sector workers are not paid for sick days.
Under the Earned Sick Leave Bill, New York employees would be paid for up to 9 sick days per year or 1 hour for each 30 hours worked. Workers who work for employers with 10 or fewer employees would earn up to 5 sick days per year.
The proposed New York City law is limited in that employees cannot earn the paid sick days until they have been employed for 90 days. Employees also have to provide the employer with notice of how much sick time is needed and the reason for the requested sick days.
Mayor Bloomberg is reported to support the bill.
The Earned Paid Sick Leave bill is yet another example of the New York City Council’s progressive stance on employee rights. Indeed, the New York City Human Rights Law is viewed as being much broader than the New York State Human Rights law and federal anti-discrimination law.