Massachusetts Paid Leave Coalition

Legislative Testimony

On July 14, 2011, the Joint Committee on Labor and Workforce Development held a public hearing on an Act Establishing Paid Sick Days.  Labor leaders, public health officials, business owners, faith leaders, advocates and workers testified in support of the Paid Sick Day Act.  Here are some excerpts from the hearing: 

Tim Sullivan, Massachusetts AFL-CIO Legislative and Communications Director
“Let’s face it – everyone gets sick – yet almost 1 million workers in this commonwealth do not get a single paid sick day.  Surely the provision of workers being able to earn a modest number of paid sick days so that they can care for themselves, or their sick children, spouses or elderly parents is a matter of fundamental fairness, dignity and equity, not to mention public health.  One hundred and thirty-nine other countries have no problem providing this simple benefit to its workers.  It is time we do so as well.” Read Tim Sullivan's full testimony.

Mark A. Schuster, M.D., PhD.
“In a state that prides itself on providing the best for its children, that strives to deliver excellent education, that leads the nation in providing health insurance for all children, we can do better. We should want to do better. Our children deserve better. Parents belong with their children when they are sick. We shouldn’t make them choose between their child and their job.” Read Mark Schuster's full testimony.

Rob Everts, Co-President and CEO, Equal Exchange
“We are a business first and foremost and we have a bottom line. We don’t see a conflict between doing the right thing and earning a profit. We value our workers for the skills they bring and at the same time recognize that they are human beings with human needs. 

We believe that businesses have an obligation to be a positive contributor to the community that goes beyond providing jobs. It includes providing a humane and safe workplace. We have never regretted our policy and feel that it has contributed to our growth, profitability and high retention rate of employees.” Read Rob Everts' full testimony.

Tammy Hale, RN, School Nurse
“As a school nurse, I deal with children with an incredibly wide variety of health problems, from the simplest day-to-day childhood complaint through very complex, chronic health problems. When a child comes to see me during the school day, my goal is to provide that child with good care and, if possible, return that child to the classroom. Most of the time, I am successful. In fact, when Massachusetts students have adequate access to school nursing services, they return to the classroom over 90% of the time.

But sometimes a child must go home, because they’re too sick to be in a classroom and usually because they’re contagious. That’s where I see the problem of parents with no paid sick days at work so clearly.  We talk to parents at the beginning of the year about not sending their child to school sick, particularly with a fever. We explain that it not only affects their child, but if their child is contagious it will end up affecting other parents, who also have to juggle work and family. But every year parents send their children to school sick because they just don’t have any other options. The parents simply can’t miss work because they can’t lose the pay, or they fear they’ll get fired if they stay home to care for their child. These are parents in impossible situations, and they are, in turn, forced to put others — their child, me, other children, and other parents — in equally impossible situations.” Read Tammy Hale's full testimony.

Rabbi Toba Spitzer, Congregation Dorshei Tzedek
“It is the belief of the faith community of Massachusetts that we are all entitled to time for rest, recuperation, and family care. This bill will see to it that values that we hold dearly and that guide our lives are made into law and that this fundamental human right is available to all persons. Ladies and Gentlemen of the Committee, I urge you to move this bill forward and to help extend the right to health and wellness to all people in Massachusetts.” Read Rabbi Toba Spitzer's full testimony.

Elizabeth Toulan, Senior Attorney, Greater Boston Legal Services
" As the Commonwealth struggles to contain escalating health care costs, it is imperative that Massachusetts adopt a universal paid sick days’ standard.  The research has been done.  The numbers are in.  Massachusetts, its businesses, workers, families, all 351 of her cities and towns, stand to gain a net benefit, in dollars and cents, as well as good health, with the adoption of the Paid Sick Days Act.” Read Elizabeth Toulan's full testimony.