Moms Movement Leader Lauds Passage of State Paid Sick Days Legislation

STATEMENT OF Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner, Executive Director, MomsRising, On Connecticut Senate Passage of An Act Mandating Employers Provide Paid Sick Leave to Employees

CONTACT: Gretchen Wright or Molly Tomlinson, 202/371-1999

May 25, 2011

Moms Movement Leader Lauds Passage
of State Paid Sick Days Legislation

“Today is a happy day for Connecticut moms and families. The Senate’s vote on An Act Mandating Employers Provide Paid Sick Leave to Employees (SB 913) puts the Nutmeg State one step closer to having a paid sick days law and MomsRising is delighted to have been a part of the effort to achieve this important goal.

“Earlier this year, two of our members, Kerry Florio and Desiree Rosado, testified before the Connecticut General Assembly Joint Labor and Employment Committee about the importance of paid sick days to moms and families. Their stories illustrated how important it is that all workers be able to take time off of work to care for themselves or a sick family member when they need to. Kerry spoke movingly about how being able to be with her infant son when he developed a serious infection and needed emergency care, without having to worry about losing pay or even her job, helped her be both a good employee and the best possible parent.

“Desiree, who does not have paid sick days, described the economic hardship her family faced when she had to take time off without pay when her children developed the H1N1 flu. They are still working on paying down the debts they incurred during that period. And it’s a struggle.

“There should be more stories like Kerry’s and there should be no more like Desiree’s. No parent should ever have to choose between caring for a seriously ill child and a paycheck or a job. But right now, four in ten Connecticut workers have no paid sick days. MomsRising wants that to end and we’ve walked the talk. Since our campaign for paid sick days began, our members have contacted the Connecticut General Assembly thousands of times in support of this policy, many – like Kerry and Desiree – sharing their personal stories about how paid sick days, or a lack of paid sick days, have impacted them. We are glad that the members of the Senate have taken those stories to heart.

“Now, we want to see the House follow suit. We ALL get sick. When we’re worried about our kids’ health or our own health, we shouldn’t also have to worry if we can pay the rent or if we’ll still have a job when we get better.”

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MomsRising.org is an online and on-the-ground grassroots organization of more than a million people who are working to achieve economic security for all families in the United States. MomsRising is working for paid family leave, flexible work options, affordable child care, and for an end to the wage and hiring discrimination which penalizes so many mothers. MomsRising also advocates for health care for all, toxic-free environments, and breastfeeding rights so that all children can have a healthy start. Established in 2006 and now celebrating its fifth anniversary, MomsRising and its members are organizing and speaking out to improve public policy and to change the national dialogue on issues that are critically important to America’s families. In 2010, Forbes.com named MomsRising's web site as one of the Top 100 Websites For Women.