Jersey City Mayor Seeks Mandatory Paid Sick Days For Workers
JERSEY CITY, N.J. (CBSNewYork/AP) - Jersey City wants to join a small number of cities nationwide that require private employers to offer sick days.
Mayor Steven Fulop is proposing that Jersey City businesses with more than 10 employees provide up to 5 paid sick days a year. Businesses with fewer than nine workers would have to offer up to 5 unpaid days.
"This impacts the most vulnerable employees that often make minimum wage," Fulop told WCBS 880's Peter Haskell. "A healthy employee is a productive employee."
Jersey City Mayor Seeks Mandatory Paid Sick Days For Workers
Workers would earn one hour of sick time for every 30 hours worked under the proposal.
The proposal, if approved, would be the first of its kind in New Jersey.
While critics said the policy will hurt small businesses, Fulop doesn't buy it.
"There's been studies out of San Francisco and Connecticut that have both shown that there's no impact to the employer," said Fulop.
The City Council will likely take up the proposal next week.
The issue of mandatory sick leave is gaining traction nationwide.
San Francisco, Washington, D.C., New York City and Seattle have all passed laws granting mandatory sick leave, as has Connecticut.
A bill in Congress lets employees earn 7 paid sick days a year. Similar legislation has been voted down or failed to advance in the past.
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