"Achoo," too bad for you: The politics of paid sick leave

Do you offer your employees paid sick leave or some sort of paid time off (PTO) bank? If not, the debate over paid sick days now unfolding in Washington, state capitals (like Connecticut and Massachusetts) and cities (like Philadelphia and New York City) could change all that.

Advocates of mandatory paid sick leave say it’s a critical benefit that builds good will and loyalty among employees, while eliminating the stress of missing a day’s pay when you’re under the weather. There’s also the health aspect: Sick workers who are experiencing fever or a nagging cough are highly contagious and as such, unnecessarily expose coworkers and customers to their germs. Obviously, the risk is that much greater for service workers who have contact with the public, including restaurant workers, school bus drivers, home health aides and janitors.

But opponents claim this is the last thing strained businesses need during these difficult economic times – that many employers would be forced to offset the cost of such a benefit by cutting positions, hours or other benefits.

Regarding the proposed Healthy Families Act in Washington, the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) has expressed its opposition, stating:

"A paid sick leave mandate as outlined in the Healthy Families Act would limit an employer's flexibility in designing a benefits package that meets the needs of their unique workforce, resulting in significant costs for employers as well as a potential loss to employees who prefer other benefits rather than paid sick leave."

But difficult doesn’t mean impossible. Businesses that already offer sick pay --  84% for management, professional and related occupations, and 42% for service workers, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics --  are able to manage costs by:

=> Requiring employees to have been employed for a certain length of time before they are eligible to earn sick leave
=>Accruing sick leave at a certain rate per month or per the number of hours worked
=>Limiting the total hours employees can accrue each year

So what do you think? If you already offer paid sick leave, how do you keep the costs in line? And if you’re not a paid sick leave provider, what are your biggest concerns?

"Achoo," too bad for you: The politics of paid sick leave

Don't let cold and flu season sneak up on you - prepare now!

Before you know it, the balmy days of summer will give way to crisper fall temperatures. And with the change in season comes the arrival of colds and flu. Sniffling, sneezing cold season can start up as early as September, with the aches and fever of flu not far behind it in October.

By taking the proper precautions, you can keep a cold or flu outbreak from sidelining your employees. It’s not too early to:

• Encourage employees to get a flu shot. Find a local flu clinic or consider hosting an on-site flu clinic. Vaccination is the best way to prevent the flu, especially for those at higher risk, such as individuals age 65 and older, pregnant women and those with chronic illnesses.

• Educate employees about the flu and what they can do to minimize its spread. Distribute information (via handouts, emails and/or posters) on flu symptoms and how to avoid contracting or sharing germs.

• Review your sick leave policy and ensure employees understand it. Consider adopting flexible hours or allowing telecommuting for employees who need to care for themselves or a sick family member.

• Reinforce good flu-prevention hygiene with employees, such as frequent hand washing, keeping a clean work area and using tissues when sneezing or coughing. Other ways employees can minimize exposure is by limiting face-to-face time, foregoing business travel and avoiding basic greetings like shaking hands.

Keep employees informed with “flu smart” workplace posters and support frequent hand washing with hand sanitizer dispensers mounted throughout the building.

Don't let cold and flu season sneak up on you - prepare now!

Don’t Facebook when home from work sick?

You feeling like you're coming down with the flu, so you use some of your paid sick time and stay home from work. Should you also stay away from Facebook?

Last month, a Swiss woman was fired from her job after surfing Facebook while out sick, according to her employer.

The employee said she could not work in front of a computer and needed to lie in the dark, but was later seen to be active on Facebook. Her employer, the National Suisse insurance company, said in a statement that her actions had destroyed the company's trust in the employee.

"This abuse of trust, rather than the activity on Facebook, led to the ending of the work contract," said a National Suisse spokesperson.

The woman admitted to using Facebook on her cell phone, but accused her employer of spying on her by sending a mysterious friend request that allowed the company to see her activities on the social network. The company denied her accusation and said a colleague witnessed her online activity.

So we want to know: When you stay home from work sick do you spend time on Facebook? Should employers care?

Leave a comment and let us know what you think.

Don’t Facebook when home from work sick?

Fear, lack of paid time off drive sick employees to work

Despite daily news coverage of the swine flu outbreak and reports of flu-related deaths, U.S. workers continue to show up for work sick, according to a recent Monster.com poll.

The nationwide poll revealed that 71% of almost 12,000 U.S. workers who responded between May 11 and May 18, 2009, said they report to work even when feeling ill.

“Of those who go to work sick, 33 percent fear losing their job if they take a sick day, while 38 percent admit their workload is too busy to take a day off from work even when they are ill,” said Norma Gaffin, director of career content, Monster.com, in a press release.

When asked “Do you go into work sick?” respondents answered:

• Yes, work is too busy for me to miss a day: 38%
• Yes, in this economy, I’m afraid I’ll lose my job: 33%
• No, I work from home if I’m sick: 10%
• No, I rest up to get better: 19%

Even if they wanted to, many workers can’t stay home when they’re sick. An estimated 57 million working Americans have no paid sick days. For these workers, staying home from work means losing pay or possibly losing their job.

"The problem has really come into sharp relief the past few days," said Debra Ness, president of the National Partnership for Women and Families, which has long pushed for paid sick leave. "Many people don't even realize that almost half the private sector — 48 percent — has no sick days, not even a single one."

"We have officials telling people to stay home when they're sick," she added. "Well, guess what? That can be the beginning of economic disaster for many, especially in this economy."

A 2008 study on sick leave found that 68% of workers without paid sick days had gone to work with a contagious illness like the flu or viral infection. Additionally, one in six workers reported that they or a family member had been fired, suspended, punished or threatened with firing after taking time off to care for themselves or a family member, according to the 2008 study by the University of Chicago's National Opinion Research Center.

Currently, the U.S. is the only country out of the top 20 world economic powers with no federally mandated sick days. But that may be about to change.

On May 18, 2009, Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, D-Mass., and Rosa DeLauro, D-Conn., reintroduced the Healthy Families Act (H.R. 2460), which would let workers earn up to seven paid sick days a year. Those paid sick days could be used to care for themselves or a sick family member.

“As Congress works hard to pass quality, affordable healthcare for every American, they must make sure workers are able to do the things necessary to keep themselves and their families healthy. Paid sick days benefit both workers and employers, as there is substantial evidence that it improves productivity and the bottom line,” said DeLauro in her address to the House of Representatives last week.

Our legal team will continue to watch the Healthy Families Act and how the legislation may affect your business. Check back regularly for the most up-to-date information.

Do you still show up to work when sick? Why? Do you think the U.S. should have federally mandated paid sick leave? Leave a comment and let us know what you think.

Fear, lack of paid time off drive sick employees to work

HR pros push for paid leave policies

The Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM) is leading the way in a debate over a U.S. workplace flexibility policy that meets the needs of both employees and employers. SHRM today announced its commitment to assisting in the development of a federal policy in a letter to all U.S. Senators and Representatives.

"We believe employers should be encouraged to provide the paid leave their workforces need, and let employees decide how to use it," wrote SHRM CEO and President Laurence O'Neil. "Providing some agreed-upon amount of paid leave for workers should be considered as a way for employers to satisfy federal, state and local leave requirements." (PR Newswire)

It’s predicted that Congress and the Obama Administration will promote “paid sick leave” legislation this year because many believe current labor laws have fallen behind the times. Along with SHRM, they believe the current labor laws must adapt to the changing needs of a diverse and mobile workforce.

SHRM’s “Principles for a 21st Century Workplace Flexibility Policy” was also issued to Congress and the Administration, encouraging lawmakers to create a federal leave policy that encourages employers to voluntarily provide paid leave.

"SHRM believes employers, not the government, are in the best position to know the benefit preferences of their employees," O'Neil said. "HR professionals have decades of experience in designing and implementing programs that work for both employers and employees. We're eager to share this expertise with policymakers and welcome a positive dialogue on a workplace flexibility policy for the 21st Century."

The organization seeks a federal policy that would:

• Encourage employers to offer uniform and coordinated paid leave;
• Create administrative and compliance incentives for employers who meet the leave standard;
• Provide certainty, predictability and accountability for employers and employees; and
• Allow for different work environments, industries and organizational size.

Research data also released today by SHRM reveals that most U.S. employers currently provide some form of paid vacation leave for full-time employees. The survey of more than 500 randomly polled HR practitioners showed that nine out of 10 respondents provide paid vacation leave, eight out of 10 provide sick leave and 42% offer leave through a paid time off (PTO) program for full-time employees.

"Solid benefits program makes it easier for organizations to attract and retain great employees," O'Neil said. "Both employers and employees want a workplace characterized by fairness, balance, flexibility and freedom of choice. We're ready to take the lead in working with all parties to find a solution for America's workers, their families and employers."

Do you agree with SHRM’s push for setting a new policy on workplace leave? What types of paid-time-off benefits does your organization currently offer full-time employees?

HR pros push for paid leave policies