TAMPA, FL -- A new proposal in Congress could help some and hurt others, depending on who you ask.
H1N1 has refueled the debate over mandated paid sick leave. U.S. Senator Chris Dodd (D-CT) says he's preparing emergency legislation that would require employers to offer up to seven paid sick days for workers who become infected with the H1N1 (swine) flu.
Dodd's proposal is similar to legislation pitched earlier this year in Congress, known as The Healthy Families Act. The Act would make seven mandatory paid sick days a permanent fixture in the United States.
Recent studies show at least 50 million American workers do not have access to paid sick leave. The majority are in lower-wage jobs in food-service, the hospitality industry, schools and health care fields.
The National Partnership for Women and Families estimates that the economy loses $180 billion in productivity a year when sick employees show up to work.
If it passes, the bill would go into effect 15 days after being signed into law, and would sunset after two years.
