Skip to main content
News release

Montgomery County Council to Vote on Paid Sick Leave Bill

June 22, 2015
Paid Family & Medical Leave, Paid Sick Days

Lisa Lederer, 202-371-1996

With 100,000+ County Residents Unable to Take Paid Sick Days, Supporters and Impacted Workers Gather to Urge Swift, Strong Passage
ROCKVILLE – This Tuesday, the Montgomery County Council will debate and vote whether to give workers in the county the opportunity to earn up to seven paid sick days each year. Councilmembers George Leventhal and Nancy Navarro will be joined by other councilmembers, advocates, and workers affected by the proposal at a press conference immediately preceding the hearing.
 
“Sick leave is a critical component of ensuring that county families have the resources they need to care for themselves and their children,” said Montgomery County Councilmember Nancy Navarro.  “I urge my colleagues to pass the strongest policy possible to so that working mothers and fathers are able to care for themselves and their families when illness strikes.”
 
The Earned Sick and Safe Leave Bill – Bill 60-14 – would: 
  • Allow Montgomery County workers to earn one hour of paid sick time for every 30 hours worked, up to seven full days (56 hours) of paid sick leave per year
  • Afford employees “safe time” to take paid leave to obtain medical attention, victims services, counseling, relocation or legal services as a result of domestic violence, sexual assault or stalking
  • Permit employers with existing paid leave standards to maintain those policies as long as they comply with the minimum requirements of the Act
This legislation would bring paid sick days to more than 100,000 workers in Montgomery County who are forced to choose between caring for their own health or the health of a loved one and ensuring their family’s economic security.
 
“People work hard every day to make Montgomery County great and we in elected office should respond to their real needs,” said George Leventhal, Montgomery County Council Chair.  “A paid sick policy is good for workers, for business, and for consumers.”
 
What: Press conference and Montgomery County Council Vote on
Earned Sick and Safe Leave Bill – Bill 60-14
 
When and Where: Tuesday, June 23, 2015 at 10:00 am, Lobby
Montgomery Council Bldg, 100 Maryland Ave, Rockville, MD 20850
 
Who: Council Chair George Leventhal, Councilwoman Nancy Navarro,
other elected leaders, large crowd of affected workers and advocates
 
Backed by Working Matters, a coalition of 140 organizations working to advance the Maryland Campaign for Paid Sick Days, the measure is supported by a broad group of local organizations including 32BJ SEIU, Advocates for Children and Youth, CASA, Jewish Community Relations Council, Jews United for Justice, Job Opportunities Task Force, LiUNA! Mid-Atlantic, Maryland Working Families, the Metro Washington Council AFL-CIO, MomsRising, the Montgomery County Education Association, National Nurses United, Progressive Maryland, Public Justice Center, SEIU Local 500, UFWC Local 1994 MCGEO, and UFCW Local 400.  
 

# # # #

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.