Dear friend,

What the what?!?! Wisconsin state representatives are moving quickly to pass a bill that would invalidate the paid sick days law that Milwaukee voters passed in 2008.

*Tell your WI legislators to keep their hands off the voter-approved Milwaukee paid sick days law. Send a message to your WI state representatives letting them know this attempt to invalidate the Milwaukee paid sick days ordinance would harm families and ignore the will of Wisconsin voters. http://action.momsrising.org/sign/PSD_WI_3_2011/?source=taf

Two weeks ago, despite powerful testimony from parents and advocates about the need for and benefits of paid sick days, the WI Senate passed a bill that would nullify the Milwaukee Paid Sick Days Ordinance and make it impossible for any other city or county in Wisconsin to pass such a measure. That bill is now moving quickly through the WI Assembly and could come up for a vote at any time.

Make sure your legislators know that paid sick days are enormously important to working Wisconsin families, and that invalidating the Milwaukee paid sick days ordinance is a dangerous step backwards. http://action.momsrising.org/sign/PSD_WI_3_2011/?source=taf

Why are paid sick days so important?

Paid sick days are good for working families, public health, and business. Paid sick days help contain health care costs through prevention, early detection, and treatment of illness. With paid sick days, families are not forced to send sick children to school to likely infect classmates and teachers; workers with paid sick days aren’t likely spread illness to their coworkers and customers; and businesses benefit from more productive employees, higher employee morale and reduced turnover costs.

Providing paid sick days is also smart for business. Research shows that the costs of replacing workers, including advertising for, interviewing and training new employees often far outweighs the cost of offering paid sick days which contributes to employee retention. [1] Additionally, presenteeism, when workers come to work sick, costs the national economy about $180 billion a year in lost productivity versus absenteeism. [2]

The city of San Francisco passed, and enacted, a similar law to the Milwaukee paid sick days ordinance in 2006. San Francisco businesses haven't experienced a negative impact. In fact, San Francisco experienced stronger employment growth in industries most affected by paid leave – retail, hospitality, food service etc – than the neighboring counties without paid sick days. [3]

Don't forget to tell your WI legislators to keep their hands off the voter-approved Milwaukee paid sick days law. Send a message now to make sure your legislators know that paid sick days are enormously important to working Wisconsin families and invalidating the Milwaukee paid sick days ordinance is a dangerous step backwards. http://action.momsrising.org/sign/PSD_WI_3_2011/?source=taf

*And don’t forget to forward this to your friends and family in Wisconsin so they can take action too!

Together we’re a more powerful voice for women and families.

P.S. Big thanks to our friends at 9to5 Milwaukee for all their work on this issue!

[1] Christine Siegwarth Meyer, et al, Work-Family Benefits: Which Ones Maximize Profits?, Journal of Managerial Issues, vol. 13, no. 1, Spring 2001.

[2] Ron Goetzal, et al, Health Absence, Disability, and Presenteeism Cost Estimates, Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, April 2004.

[3] Drum Major Institute for Public Policy, Paid Sick Leave Does Not Harm Employment, March 2010