MomsRising member Desiree with Senator Dodd before the hearing.

Today a hearing on H1N1 and the need for paid sick days was held in the Subcommittee on Children and Families of the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor & Pensions.  Currently, 57 million working people across the United States who do not have paid sick leave and are forced to go without pay if they or any of their children are sick.  This is a serious  problem for public health officials, who are trying to contain H1N1.

Connecticut MomsRising Member Desiree Rosado was there to testify on behalf of MomsRising, and the parents across the country who deal with this issue every flu season. She shared her personal experience with the Committee:

“We are trying to pay down debts and make our family financially stable, but it’s a hard road,” Rosado told the Subcommittee in her testimony.  “And it’s made a lot harder because whenever we get sick or our children get sick, we have to decide whether to stay home without pay, or to disregard doctor’s orders and risk getting sicker and infecting other by going to work or school.”

Watch the testimony here: http://help.senate.gov/Hearings/2009_11_10/2009_11_10.html (she is at about 1:28:00)

Desiree's testimony made an impact, building a powerful case for the need for paid sick days.  Thank you Desiree for all your work!