Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) joined Senator Patty Murray (D-Wash.) and 31 Senate colleagues in re-introducing the Healthy Families Act, which ensures workers are able to earn paid sick leave so they can stay home when they are ill, care for a sick family member, obtain preventive medical care or seek assistance related to domestic violence, stalking or sexual assault.
“Hardworking Nevadans shouldn’t be forced to decide between their health and security in order to keep their job. Far too many Americans have to work through illness, put off medical care, or worry about taking care of sick family members because they are afraid of missing a paycheck or losing their job. I’m proud to cosponsor this bill to help ensure that American workers are provided the basic benefit of paid sick leave so they can best take care of themselves and their families.”
In addition to Senators Cortez Masto and Murray, the legislation is co-sponsored by Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Benjamin Cardin (D-Md.), Bob Casey (D-Penn.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Kamala Harris (D-Calif.), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Angus King (I-Maine), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), Jeff Merkley (D-Mass.), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Bernie Sanders (D-Vt.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Tom Udall (D-N.M.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.).
BACKGROUND:
The Healthy Families Act would apply to all businesses with at least 15 employees and would not impact those already providing paid sick leave as long as they are meeting the standards outlined in the Healthy Families Act. Workers would be eligible to receive up to 56 hours, or seven days, of paid sick leave per year.
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