In an op-ed for Health Affairs, political economist and independent consultant Karl Polzer discusses the need for federally mandated paid sick leave for U.S. employees, claiming that refusing to allow them time off may pose a health risk, among other concerns.
Ten states and the District of Columbia have enacted legislative policy mandating employers provide their workers with paid sick leave, as there is no federal requirement to do so, Mr. Polzer states. However, despite the progress, 34.2 million private-sector employees still do not earn paid sick leave.
The ability of an employee to take time off to care for themselves or their family members would have little negative effect on employers and would ultimately boost the health of a company's workforce, as "millions of healthcare, day care, and food workers now have a strong incentive to come to work even when sick with contagious illnesses. Making sure they can stay home when ill would help reduce healthcare costs," Mr. Polzer writes.
Service workers and others in lower-income jobs are most affected by the lack of federal regulation, according to Mr. Polzer. While 90 percent of U.S. managers and professionals enjoyed paid sick leave in 2018, only 56 percent of service workers were able to do so, according to data provided by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
While the issue has received bipartisan support in Congress, little has been done to change the plight for workers, Mr. Polzer states. Even if Congress cannot reach a bipartisan deal to pay for a federal family leave policy, he argues that lawmakers can still pass a modest paid sick leave requirement that would not affect the federal budget.
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