Women Demand Paid Sick Days for All

Honoring women in March, She Leads Justice along with a large coalition is organizing to win expanded Paid Sick Days so all women and families in Connecticut are covered.

A long struggle for Paid Sick Days resulted in Connecticut being the first state to establish such coverage in 2011, but it did not include everyone.

“Carveouts in Connecticut’s current law exclude 88% of our workforce from the guaranteed right to paid sick days This amounts to 1.6 million workers without the time they need to heal, recover, or care for their families,” says She Leads Justice, formerly known as CWEALF..

The language of the current paid sick days law disproportionately leaves out low wage workers, many of whom are women of color. Only those who work for an employer with 50 or more workers, and who have worked more than 680 hours are covered. Eligibility is limited to certain service occupations, excluding nearly three quarters of Connecticut workers.

Paid sick days is part of the Equity Agenda of the Connecticut for All coalition. It is an important component of ending the two Connecticuts, one of great wealth and the other, the vast majority, struggling to make ends meet.

“Workers of color are over represented in industries that do not provide paid sick days and are far more likely to lack access,” says She Leads Justice.

“During the COVID-19 pandemic women and people of color were  over represented in front line jobs, but continue to lack critical support like paid sick leave.”

Dozens of women testified at the state capitol this month in support of SB 7 to Expand Paid Sick Days, telling their stories to underscore why Paid Sick Days is pivotal to their well being and the well being of the entire community..

The proposed legislation would cover all workers by removing the employer size threshold and lengthy definition of “service worker” to require all employers, regardless of size or industry, to provide paid sick time. It would begin eligibility 100 days after employment starts and for a minimum of 40 hours per year.

It would expand the definition of family to allow paid sick days to care for a child of any age or immediate family member It would extend access to safe days to cover care for a family member who experiences family violence or sexual assault