The Healthy Families Act (S. 910 and H.R. 1542)

April 9, 2008

Currently, 57 million people, nearly 48% of private-sector workers and 80% of low-wage workers, do not have a single paid sick day. Nearly 100 million workers do not have paid sick days to care for their children or family members. As a result, many workers are forced to go to work or to send their children to school and day care sick. And workers without paid sick days are more likely to be those in frequent contact with the public. For example, three quarters of hotel and food service workers do not have paid sick days.

The Healthy Families Act, S. 910 and H.R. 1542, addresses this labor and public health problem by providing seven paid sick days to all employees, and prorated for employees working between 20 hours per week (or 1000 per year) and 30 hours per week (or 1500 per year). These days can be used by workers to obtain medical care for themselves or their family members. Employers with fewer than 15 employees are exempted.

Paid sick days are also good for the economy. Employees coming to work sick cost our economy $180 billion annually in lost productivity. People who come to work sick are not as productive as when they are healthy. This causes a loss of productivity for the employer. According to an AdvancePCS study, three-quarters of lost productive time from illness occurs on the job. Lost productive time costs employers about $2000 per worker per year. Furthermore, implementation of paid sick leave would reduce the number of employees being fired for absenteeism, therefore saving the costs of recruitment and training of new employees. Under the Healthy Families Act, our national economy would experience a net savings of over $8.1 billion per year.

Catholic social teaching requires that the economy serve the human person, rather than vice versa, and demands just treatment of workers. In Gaudium et Spes, the Second Vatican Council observes that too often, “in one way or another workers are made slaves of their work. This situation can by no means be justified by so-called economic laws. The entire process of productive work, therefore, must be adapted to the needs of the person and to the requirements of his life, above all his domestic life.” Paid sick leave supports the needs of workers and their families, prioritizing the person over profit while protecting public health and guarding our economy.