Obama Announces Paid Sick Leave for Federal Employees
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During the annual Labor Day breakfast in Boston, President Obama announced a new executive order that requires employees of federal contractors to have access to paid sick leave each year. Employees will be able to use the sick leave for family care, physical and mental illness, preventive care and numerous other categories.
Employees will earn one hour of sick leave per 30 hours worked and they can earn up to seven days of paid sick leave. The sick leave that they accrue throughout the year will carry over from year to year.
"This will give about 300,000 working Americans access to paid sick leave for the first time," Obama stated after signing the executive order. Despite the new federal policy, 44 million Americans still will not have these benefits. He is calling on Congress to make those necessary changes.
Obama stated on Monday, "I believe that working Americans should have the basic security of paid leave. Right now, we are the only advanced nation on Earth that does not guarantee paid maternity leave. Think about that."
How will this change the future of paid sick leave in the private sector?
