Updated 11/14/2011, 11/15/2011, 11/17/2011: We're constantly updating this blog-a-thon with new posts. Scroll down to see our latest posts, including the perspective of a small business owner. And please leave a comment; we'd love to hear your thoughts. Thanks!

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Let’s face it. Children share everything. Unfortunately, that included colds and the flu. Moms and dads know this and want to protect the health of all children by staying home, which helps speed the recovery of their child and prevents the spread of illness to classmates. But when working parents are unable to earn paid sick days, they’re faced with an impossible choice: Send their child to school sick or stay home with their child and risk losing a day’s pay or possibly even their jobs.

Nearly one million families in MA do not have paid sick days.

Moms and dads encourage the MA state legislature to move quickly and pass the Paid Sick Days Act because we know that paid sick days are good for kids, working families, public health, and business. Paid sick days would help contain health care costs through prevention, early detection and treatment of illness.  With paid sick days, families will not be forced to send sick children to school and likely infect classmates and teachers; workers with paid sick days would not spread illness to their coworkers and customers; and businesses would benefit from more productive employees, higher employee morale and reduced turnover costs.

Want to hear what other MomsRising members think? Let's kick off this blog-a-thon with comments from a few of our Massachusetts MomsRising members:

Civilized countries need civilized laws - paid sick days are essential for parents!

—Lisa W., West Roxbury, MA

 

Paid sick days are so important to families. As a mom to two kids, I see on a regular basis how quickly illnesses spread in schools. It's bad enough when colds or mild bugs are spread, but even worse when flu season comes around and we're dealing with far more serious viruses. With the increase in drug-resistant viruses and bacteria this is an even more dangerous game to play with kids' lives. And it's not just the kids in school we need to worry about, it's the whole family. They will come home with whatever they catch at school and pass it on to their parents and younger siblings and other family members. What could be a mild illness in a child, could be deadly to infants or grandparents.

—Paula T., Lawrence, MA

 

When sick people are at work, they can't perform their jobs properly. And they may spread their illness around.

—Brooks B., Amherst, MA

 

Paid sick leave reduces spread of illness, helps maintain productivity, and improves morale. So putting families first is good for the economy!

—Rebecca K., Holden, MA

 

This is so sensible and efficient. Eventually, everyone pays if moms and dads can't stay home to care for sick children or themselves. Fewer people are exposed and sick kids get better faster. Such a good idea.—Ruth T. , Winchester, MA

 

Help make MA schools and workplaces healthier and safer by passing the Paid Sick Days Act.

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Massachusetts Needs Paid Sick Days, Pem Brown, Jewish Alliance for Law and Social Action. A solid introduction to why Massachusetts must seize this opportunity to improve the lives of its workers and families now.

Business to Business: Don't Be Afraid of Paid Sick Days! It's good for our workers and it's good for us, Makini Howell, owner of Plum Bistro. Makini shares her small business insights from Seattle, where a paid sick days ordinance recently passed.

Approaching Flu Season, You May Want to Know The Facts, Barbara Gutman, Massachusetts Paid Leave Coalition

Paid Sick Days and Health Cost Savings from Reduced Emergency Department Visits, Kevin Miller, Institute for Women's Policy Research. Analysis from a new report published by IWPR.

Rx for Massachusetts: Earned Paid Sick Days for all workers! Elizabeth Toulan, Massachusetts Paid Leave Coalition

Massachusetts- transgender people need paid sick days too, Emilia, Fenway Health. A personal story from a MA resident sharing one of many reasons paid sick days make sense.

Contagion - Not Just a Movie, Ellen Bravo. Includes a personal story from MA and chronicles the passage of several paid sick days laws around the nation.

Paid Sick Days Laws Could Become Contagious, Jodie Levin-Epstein. Cites MA employers on record in support of a paid sick days law.

MA Legislators need a nudge for paid sick days, Ruth Martin. An overview of what the MA paid sick days bill would do, and why it's important for MA workers and families.