Washington, D.C.

The Paid Sick Days for All coalition is a collaborative of over 40 community groups and unions working to ensure that all workers in the District of Columbia can take a day off to care for themselves and their loved ones when they get sick. We believe that no one should have to choose between their health and their jobs.

In 2008, the DC Council passed a law guaranteeing that anyone who works in the District of Columbia can earn up to 7 days of paid sick leave. However, the law was severely weakened at the last minute; tipped restaurant workers and anyone working on their first year of the job were excluded. The coalition, formed in the fall of 2011, aimed to strengthen the legislation so that all workers in DC can take the needed time off to care for themselves without risking their economic security. Victory was achieved in December of 2013 as the D.C. City Council passed a bill that will raise DCs minimum wage to $11.50 an hour by 2016 and that closed the loopholes in the earned sick leave law so that restaurant workers are included. The bill also included provisions stating that all workers can use accrued sick days leave after 90 days on the job.

Lead organizations in the coalition include Restaurant Opportunities Center-DC, The DC Employment Justice Center, and Jews United for Justice. We believe that paid sick days policies help keep workers, businesses, and the city much healthier.