Sanders pushes for paid sick, family, medical leave

WASHINGTON (WCAX) – Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders has joined dozens of lawmakers demanding paid sick, family and medical leave for American workers.

He joined 121 colleagues in the U.S. House and Senate supporting the Healthy Families Act of 2023.

“It is time for the United States to join nearly every other major country in the world and finally guarantees paid sick leave,” Sanders, I-Vermont, said Wednesday.

He called it a “disgrace” that families have to choose between their jobs and caring for their family, their newborn child or themselves, including following domestic violence.

The Healthy Families Act of 2023 would:

• Allow workers in businesses with fewer than 15 employees would earn up to seven job-protected unpaid sick days each year to be used for the same reasons – unless their employers choose to offer paid sick days.
• Allow workers who are victims of domestic violence, stalking or sexual assault to use their paid sick days to recover or seek assistance related to an incident.
• Provide a simple method for calculating accrued sick time. Workers would earn a minimum of one hour of paid sick time for every 30 hours worked, up to 56 hours per year, unless the employer selects a higher limit.

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