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Statement

STATEMENT OF Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner, Executive Director, MomsRising, On the City Council of Jersey City Passage of an Earned Sick Time Bill

September 26, 2013
Paid Sick Days

Lisa Lederer, 202-371-1996

Jersey City Passes ‘Basic Dignity’ Measure for Workers
“We applaud the City Council of Jersey City for yesterday passing an earned sick time bill, a measure that Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop called a matter of ‘basic dignity for working families.’ Having already passed a paid family leave bill, Jersey City is well on its way to becoming a model for a pro-family, pro-business, pro-economy city.”
 
“Everyone gets sick, and they deserve access to the time off they need to recover. Having to choose between going to work sick—and infecting coworkers and customers—and risking losing a day’s pay by staying home, is an impossible choice.”
 
“Access to earned paid sick days keeps people in jobs they desperately need, and research shows that earned sick days far outweigh the costs of replacing workers. Healthy workers are productive workers, and our economy cannot stand to lose them.”
 
“We are delighted that Jersey City has passed this common sense policy benefit, and hope that other cities will take note and follow suit.”
 

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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.