Family Values at Work - A Multi-State Consortium

Minnesota

The Minnesota Paid Sick Days Coalition is comprised of a broad, diverse group of stakeholders, from business groups to labor unions. Member organizations include: Minnesota AFL-CIO, Minnesota Association of Professional Employees, Minnesota Women's Political Caucus, Minnesota Nurses Association, AFSCME Council 5, Business and Professional Women of Minnesota, Children's Defense Fund of Minnesota, SEIU Minnesota State Council, St. Paul Regional Labor Federation, TakeAction Minnesota, United Food and Commercial Workers, and UNITE HERE.

State Senator Ellen Anderson is the lead sponsor of the Healthy Families, Healthy Workplace Act, a bill that would guarantee universal access to paid sick days. Last year she secured a hearing in the Business, Industry and Jobs committee in the Senate. Unfortunately the bill did not pass the committee.

Currently the Minnesota Paid Sick Days Coalition is gearing up to educate policymakers during the 2010 legislative session. Because the state is on a two-year legislative cycle, the Healthy Families, Healthy Workplace Act will not have to start the legislative process over at the beginning of the session. The bill is currently on the General Register awaiting a vote on the House floor. It will be referred back to the last committee it was heard in, which was the House Commerce and Labor Committee. The Paid Sick Days Coalition is working with key allies to secure committee hearings in the Senate. The Chair of the Senate Health, Housing and Family Security Committee planned to hold a hearing in January.

Contact: For more information, contact Alexandra Dav id, Paid Sick Days Policy Advocate, alex@grasstopsinc.org, 612-327-5110, or visit www.grasstopsinc.org.