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Dear Larry,
For 40% of California's workers,
getting sick on a weekday is a
double burden -- not only do they
have to go through the process of
recovery, but they have to do it
without getting time off from work
to do so. That's because about 6
million working Californians are not
eligible to earn paid sick days and
thus lose income if they have to
recuperate from illness, take care
of a sick family member, or even to
recover from sexual assault.
That's why I've authored AB
2716, the Healthy Families, Healthy
Workplaces Act, which would give all
of California's workers the
opportunity to earn up to 9 days per
year that can be used to recover
from illness.
This legislation has widespread
support across California: a new
statewide survey conducted for the
California Center for Research on
Women and Families (CCRWF) revealed
that voters would support this
bill by a 73% to 23% margin. The
bill has already passed the State
Assembly, but it faces a tough test
tomorrow in the Senate
Appropriations Committee, and I'll
need your help to advance it to the
full State Senate.
The Healthy Families, Healthy
Workplaces Act isn't just about
keeping California healthy -- it
will also make our economy
stronger. People aren't
robots, and the fact is that workers
are going to get sick. Ensuring that
they have time to recuperate from
illness will reduce turnover rates
in the workforce and will help
prevent the spread of disease among
fellow employees.
In fact, according to Dr. Vicky
Lovell of the Women's Policy
Research Institute, the
Healthy Families, Healthy Workplaces
Act will increase the productivity
of employees and save California
close to $1 billion every year.
I'm thrilled that the Healthy
Families, Healthy Workplaces Act has
the support of the California Labor
Federation and is supported by
numerous local governments, health
experts and nonprofit organizations.
Moreover, the recent CCRWF survey
shows broad, bipartisan support
among California voters for a paid
sick days bill.
California should be a
leader in fostering healthy
workplaces that make our economy
more productive -- that's why I'm
asking for your help to pass the
first statewide law in the nation to
ensure all workers have time to
recover from illness.
Health care is one of the most
pressing issues facing our state and
nation today, and reducing illness
in the workplace is a critical part
of this fight. We may not be able to
reform our health insurance system
or reduce premiums overnight, but
together we can make sure
Californians are able to rest and
recuperate when they're sick.
As a San Francisco Supervisor two
years ago, I worked to pass a
citywide measure to provide all
workers in the city with paid sick
days, and the results have been
extremely positive. Now, with your
help, we can ensure that workplaces
across the state are given the same
benefit, ensuring that California
leads our country forward once
again.
Thank you so much for your help,
Sincerely,
Fiona Ma
California State Assemblywoman
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