Connecticut Poised to Be First State with Paid Sick Days

Every vote matters – and everybody benefits when the people come together to work for protections for working families. We are proud of our member group in Connecticut, the Everybody Benefits campaign spearheaded by the Connecticut Working Families Party, for its hard work to make this day happen.

The Connecticut State Senate has approved the paid sick days bill, SB 913 with a vote of 18 to 17. The House is expected to vote next week. Governor Dan Malloy, elected in part for his support for the bill, has been urging its passage and will sign it.

“Dr. Martin Luther King famously said ‘the time is always right to do what is right.’ Today, the State Senate did what was right,” said Jon Green, director of Connecticut Working Families. “Working families throughout the state should be tremendously proud of the leadership shown by Senator Prague, Senate President Donald Williams, and Majority Leader Martin Looney. They all stood up today for public health, common decency, and common sense. And Senator Kissel showed today that sometimes good policy matters more than partisanship.

“This vote is an important step forward for the single mom working as a waitress, the home health care aide and the retail worker struggling to make ends meet — and also for all of us who interact with them, who will benefit from a healthier workforces,” said Green.

A recent study by the Institute for Women’s Policy Research found that wider access to paid sick leave would save Connecticut families over $18 million annually in emergency room costs.

Commenting on the win, Ellen Bravo, Executive Director of Family Values @ Work, said, “In a time of economic hardship, middle class Americans won a victory today.  Connecticut state senators stood with working people and voted for a bill that will lead to healthier families and a stronger economy.  While modest in scope, this reform will make an enormous difference for tens of thousands of Connecticut workers.

Across the country, similar coalitions are fighting for paid sick days legislation in their cities and states. We share a vision that taking care of yourself or a loved one should never cost you a paycheck or a job. Today’s vote reflects the grassroots momentum that is building around the country to enact measures that genuinely value workers and their families.”