More than half of Massachusetts private sector workers cannot take any sick time to care for a sick child or elderly parent. 

Nearly 1 million Massachusetts private sector jobs (over one-third of our workforce) lack a single guaranteed paid sick day.   

Nearly 50% of all emergency room visits in Massachusetts could be prevented by improving access to primary care.[

Paid Sick Time Will Save Business Money by:
§                Reducing employee turnover, contagion and lost productivity – a $348 million annual benefit to Massachusetts employers.[2]

§                Reducing on the job injuries directly caused by presenteeism, a phenomenon that describes employees who work while sick.[3]

§                Reducing the spread of the flu, a contagious illness that accounts for 10-12% of all illness-related workplace absences.

Paid Sick Time Will Protect Public Health by:

§                Preventing over 33,000 flu infections in the workplace, saving workers and their families more than $16 million in lost wages and medical costs.[4]

§                Preventing food and beverage contamination.

§                Preventing the spread of illnesses in daycare and school environments.

Paid Sick Time Will Save the Commonwealth Money by:

§                Reducing preventable emergency room visits.[5]

§                Reducing health care costs related to the spread of highly contagious diseases.

§                Keeping low-wage workers employed and off of public assistance.

§                Reducing the increased health care costs attributable to highly stressed workers.[6]

Key Provisions of the Paid Sick Time Act: 

§               Employees in companies with fewer than 6 employees can earn up to 40 hours of unpaid sick time per year;

§               Employees in companies with 6 to 10 employees can earn up to 40 hours of paid sick time per year;

§               Employees in companies with 11 or more employees can earn up to 56 hours of paid sick time per year.

This bill is designed to balance employer and employee needs:

§               Employers may require medical certification for any absence that exceeds 24 consecutive scheduled work hours.  

§               Employers with Paid Time Off policies that provide earned sick time accrual and usage consistent with the Act do not have to change their policies.

§               Seasonal employers have the option of providing earned sick time, paid or unpaid.

§               Employers and employees can agree to shift or hour changes if an employee does not wish to use earned sick time for their own health needs or that of a family member, such as child or elderly parent.

§               Employees are paid their usual hourly rate for sick time, but not less than the state’s minimum wage ($8/hour).

§               Employees cannot cash out unused earned sick time upon separation from employment or extended leave.

§               Unused sick time can be carried over at the end of a year, up to the maximum benefit provided under the Act for any 12 month period, unless an employer allows its employees to carry over more unused, earned sick time.