Halt to Dallas paid sick days ordinance shows “appalling disregard” for residents’ health

Today, Wendy Chun-Hoon, executive director of Family Values @ Work, a network of 27 state coalitions working for paid sick and safe days, paid family and medical leave insurance, and other policies that value families at work, released the following statement in response to a federal court injunction that halted the paid sick days ordinance in Dallas, TX:

“With appalling disregard for the health of Dallas residents and contempt for the democratic process, a federal court today halted that city’s paid sick days ordinance. The bill went into effect last August, so workers were already earning the time; enforcement was set to begin April 1. Corporate lobbyists and right-wing organizations who were unable to stop City Council from passing the measure turned to a lawsuit to obtain this injunction.

“Taking back this critical right would have been outrageous at any time, but it is unconscionable to do so while a pandemic destroys the health and financial stability of millions across our country. As our partners in the Workers Defense Project put it, ‘we cannot imagine a time when paid sick leave is more important and more necessary.’

“Members of both parties, recognizing that our nation’s health depends on the health of each of its workers, came together in Congress to pass legislation guaranteeing paid sick days and paid family leave to a sizeable portion of the workforce. We need Congress to step in again and expand these provisions to include every worker, regardless of the size of the company they work for or the kind of work they do, both during public health emergencies and permanently.”

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