Skip to main content
Statement

STATEMENT OF Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner, Executive Director, MomsRising, On the Massachusetts Labor and Workforce Development Committee Vote on the Earned Paid Sick Time Act

March 16, 2012
Paid Sick Days

Lisa Lederer, 202-371-1996

Massachusetts Takes Another Step Toward Helping Workers and Their Families
“The Massachusetts Labor and Workforce Development Committee vote was a victory for the families in the Commonwealth who would benefit from the Earned Paid Sick Time Act. Paid sick time is win-win. Studies show that with these kinds of policies, employers reduce costs and have less turnover and workers have the peace of mind of knowing that they can take time off without sacrificing pay or a job.  What’s more, with an earned sick time law, Massachusetts will save on the cost of providing health care because its citizenry will be healthier.
 
“Right now nearly one million Massachusetts workers can’t earn paid sick days to stay home because they’re sick or to take care of a sick family member. That’s just wrong. No mom or dad should ever have to choose between a sick child and a paycheck – or worse, a job. At MomsRising, we heard from members all across the commonwealth about the importance of paid sick time. And we shared those stories with the legislators. And today we know that for many of them, those stories resonated.
 
“I’m proud of the hundreds of our members who signed on to the petition urging legislators on the Labor Workforce Committee to vote the bill out of committee, helping to ensure this victory.
 
“We strongly urge the full legislature to vote for this important bill. The families of Massachusetts are counting on them.”
 

# # # #

MomsRising.org is an on-the-ground and online grassroots organization of more than a million people who are working to increase family economic security, decrease discrimination against women and moms, and to build a nation where businesses and families can thrive. Established in 2006, MomsRising and its members are organizing and speaking out to improve public policy and to change the national dialogue on issues that are critically important to America’s families, including criminal justice reform, immigration policy reform, and gun safety. MomsRising is working for paid family and medical leave, affordable, high quality childcare and early learning, and for an end to the wage and hiring discrimination which penalizes women — particularly moms and women of color — and so many others. MomsRising advocates for access to healthy food for all kids, health care for all, earned sick days, and breastfeeding rights so that all children can have a healthy start. MomsRising maintains a Spanish language website: MamásConPoder.org. Sign up online at www.MomsRising.org — and follow us on our blog, and on Twitter and Facebook.