After 120 days of inaction by the Ohio General Assembly, representatives of the coalition for the Ohio Healthy Families Act, including many members of SEIU District 1199, announced on May 8 a second round of signature gathering in order to instead put the issue before voters in November. The HFA would require employers with 25 or more workers to allow full-time employees to earn 7 paid sick days per year and part-time workers to earn a pro-rated number of paid sick days. 2.2 million Ohio workers are currently unable to earn paid sick days.
HFA Campaign Spokesperson Dale Buckland said the overwhelming polling support for the HFA just shows the legislature’s overall indifference to the needs of Ohio workers. “They are too busy to hear facts, too busy to hear experts, and too busy to hear from regular people who elected them and asked to be heard,” Buckland said.
Citing public health dangers like the recent norovirus outbreak at a Chipolte Mexican Grill in Kent that led to 400 diners falling ill, HFA campaign representatives said that the proposed law would save businesses money and make Ohio one of the most family-friendly states in the country.
The HFA Campaign must collect an additional 120,680 signatures, on top of the quarter million already gathered, to place earned sick days on the November ballot.
WHY PAID SICK DAYS The United States is the only industrialized country in the world without paid sick days. 42% of Ohio’s private sector work force (about 2.2 million people) have no legal right to even a single paid sick day at their places of employment. When illness strikes them or their children, these workers (including 40% of middle income earners) must choose between taking care of their families and losing a day’s pay, or even their jobs. The Ohio Healthy Families Act (HFA) would require companies with 25 or more employees to allow full-time workers to earn 7 paid sick days per year, and part-time employees to earn a pro-rated number. The bill also contains provisions to protect employers and prevent abuse. HFA campaign manager Brian Dunn said: “When we kicked off this campaign on behalf of Ohio families back in October, we predicted voters would overwhelmingly rally to the cause. But their enthusiasm has surprised even us. In 3 short months, we’ve collected more than double the number of signatures we needed, and from across the political spectrum —Democrats, Republicans and Independents alike. Clearly, paid sick days is an idea whose time has come. We call on the Legislature to pass this bill quickly and give the people what they want.”