This is it! Today is the big day - there is a hearing in the Massachusetts State Legislature to talk about the Paid Sick Days bill. YEAH! And the MomsRising community is a big part of the action - we're delivering written copies of the stories moms have sent us about their experiences with paid sick days (or the lack thereof), and filling the hearing room with moms and kids from all over the state. We'll even have a MomsRising member testify during the hearing with her personal story about needing paid sick days.
You can be a part of the action, too. Make a difference right now on the outcome of the hearing from the comfort of your home, from your very own computer!
Why send a letter? The Committee hearing will be attended by about a dozen legislators in the State Legislature, but there are 200 legislators all together. That means we need your help to make sure they all get the message about the powerful movement for paid sick days. So send a letter today, and forward this message to your friends so they can send a letter too.
Why do we need paid sick days?
Today, nearly 1.4 million working people in Massachusetts aren't allowed to earn a single paid sick day--and even folks with paid sick days are often not allowed to use them to take care of sick kids.1 When we're talking about stopping the spread of illnesses like the swine flu, that's a serious problem. In today's economy, folks just can't afford to lose a day's pay (or risk losing their jobs!), and as a result simply have no choice but to go to work sick, or send sick kids to school.
Lacking paid sick days is not only really hard on individuals and their families, it also has health consequences for the general public. We all want people who are sick to be able to stay home so that they will not, unintentionally, get others in their community sick as well.
Tell your Massachusetts Legislators today -- we need paid sick days!
Thank you!
[1] Lovell, Vicky, Kevin Miller, and Claudia Williams. 2009. Valuing Good Health in Massachusetts: The Costs and Benefits of Paid Sick Days. IWPR Publication No. B268. Washington, DC: Institute for Women's Policy Research.
http://www.iwpr.org/pdf/B268Mass.pdf
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