Joint Economic Committee Releases Report
On Benefits of Paid Sick Leave
Washington, D.C. - Representative Carolyn Maloney, Chair of the Joint Economic Committee (JEC), and Senator Charles E. Schumer, Vice Chair of the JEC, released a report today estimating the impact of the Healthy Families Act (S. 1152, introduced by Senator Chris Dodd, and H.R. 2460, introduced by Representative Rosa DeLauro), on access to paid sick leave. The report, "Expanding Access to Paid Sick Leave: The Impact of the Healthy Families Act on America's Workers," was requested by the Senate Subcommittee on Children and Families and analyzes the demographics of workers who currently have access to paid sick leave and workers who would gain access to paid sick leave under the Healthy Families Act.
Using data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the JEC estimated that:
**As a result of the Healthy Families Act, at least 30.3 million additional workers would have access to paid sick leave.
**The Healthy Families Act would significantly expand access to paid sick leave for many of America's most vulnerable workers, including lower-wage workers, women, and minorities.
o Almost half of the increased access to paid sick leave (14.7 million additional workers) would accrue to workers in the bottom wage quartile;
o Nearly half (13.3 million workers) of the increased access to paid sick leave would accrue to women workers; and,
o Almost one-third of the increased access to paid sick leave would accrue to minority workers, including 3.9 million additional African-American workers and 5.6 million additional Latino workers.
**The Healthy Families Act would also significantly expand access to paid sick leave for workers in professions with critical public health implications. For instance, 5.9 million additional food service and preparation workers would have access to paid sick leave due to the Healthy Families Act.
Chair Maloney said, "It's wrong that millions of workers have to choose between their paycheck and their health. It's also bad public policy: sick employees are less productive and can spread contagious illnesses to their co-workers and others with whom they interact. The Healthy Families Act would give 30 million workers, including those low-wage workers who are already living paycheck to paycheck, the peace of mind that they will still be able to keep their job if they get sick."
The Joint Economic Committee, established under the Employment Act of 1946, was created by Congress to review economic conditions and to analyze the effectiveness of economic policy.
