The New Jersey State AFL-CIO and its coalition partner, Working Families United for New Jersey, Inc. (WFUNJ), continued to lead the campaign for statewide earned sick leave legislation on Monday by testifying in strong support of S-785 before the Senate Labor Committee.
The bill sponsored by Sen. Loretta Weinberg creates a uniform and humane standard so that no New Jersey worker is docked a day’s pay, or loses their job, because they are too sick to work. Approximately 1.2 million New Jersey workers still lack this basic workplace right.
This common sense bill allows workers to earn one hour of sick time for every 30 hours worked. Workers who accrue time off can afford to stay home when they are sick, tend to immediate family members who are ill or keep their sick children home from school. This bill is good for workers, good for public health and good for business.
The bill cleared the Labor Committee on a 3 to 2 vote. A similar bill, A-2354, was released from the Assembly Budget Committee in December.
The United States is the only industrialized nation that does not have a national sick leave policy. The New Jersey State AFL-CIO and WFUNJ believe this is an opportunity for New Jersey to lead on this issue. We will continue to advocate for social and economic justice for all workers until statewide earned sick leave is signed into law.
We will succeed with your continued support.