Family Fun Day in Support of Paid Sick Days Springfield Draws Large Crowd and Brings More Attention to Issue

On Thursday August 20th the Massachusetts Paid Leave Coalition and Co-Chair of Committee on Labor and Workforce Development Cheryl Coakley-Rivera partnered to sponsor an event to promote the need for An Act Establishing Paid Sick Days to become law as we approach what could be the worst flu season in years.

Families and concerned members of the community turned out to tell state representatives and officials how important it is for all employees to have paid sick days. Without them, people are more likely to attend work when sick, rather than endure loss of wages, and subsequently spread illness and germs to others. This fact becomes even more threatening with an up-coming flu season that could prove to be one of the worst ever, given the prevalence of H1N1 virus.

Rep. Coakley-Rivera, the Co-Chair of the Joint Committee on Labor and Workforce Development, spoke to the crowd about why paid sick days legislation has never been more important. Other speakers included Rep. Ben Swan and Rep. Ellen Story, both co-sponsors of An Act Establishing to Paid Sick Days,  Helen Caulton-Harris, Springfield’s Director of Health and Human Services, and Dean Cycon, CEO of Dean’s Beans Organic Coffee, a business that is proud to offer paid sick days to its employees.
 
The need is growing for legislation that provides paid sick days to all employees across the state. Call your legislators and tell them why paid sick days are important to you or your family.
 
Click here to see pictures from this great event.
 
Click here to read this week's Boston Globe editorial about the need for paid leave legislation to be passed.
 
For more information on pending legislation, click here to visit the Mass AFL-CIO’s Paid Sick Days page.

 

 

 

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