The Hidden Costs of Denying Paid Sick Leave

Script and Sources

Feeling sick? Then your boss should be paying you to stay home.

It’s better for your health, your coworkers health, customer’s health — and it’s actually better for your company’s bottom line. Let me explain. 

Right now, roughly 33 million American workers have no paid sick leave because the U.S. is one of the few wealthy nations that still does not guarantee it.

But research shows that paid sick leave is actually good for businesses that want to save money and have happier, healthier employees.

For starters, paid sick leave attracts more workers to jobs and keeps them there longer — improving employer-employee relationships while saving businesses the expenses of hiring and retraining.

It increases overall productivity. When workers get paid sick leave, they don't have to worry about reporting for work when they're feeling ill — meaning they're less stressed and more productive when on the job. Plus it keeps workers safer by reducing the likelihood of on-the-job accidents and minimizing the spread of illness across workplaces.  

Workers who aren't afraid of losing pay when sick are also more likely to see a doctor and avoid becoming sicker — meaning fewer sick days later on and fewer costly visits to emergency rooms. This also saves their employers money over the long term by lowering health insurance premiums.

Now, 79 percent of American workers have at least some form of paid sick leave thanks to a bandaid system of local laws, state laws, and the good graces of employers. 

But dig a little bit deeper and you’ll see that this seemingly high number masks harsh inequalities in our current approach to providing paid sick leave. 

While 96% of the highest-paid workers have paid sick days, only 38% of the lowest-paid workers get them. (EPI) 

These lower wage workers are often found in retail, restaurant, hotel, and hospitality jobs — the very people most likely to pick up a virus at work and also give it to customers. And because of their low wages, the least able to afford a day off. 

So why aren't all businesses offering paid sick leave to their workers? Because they're taking a narrow, short-term view. And many just don't trust their employees. 

But let me tell you this: Over the longer term, this is costing them, and costing all of us.

We've already seen during the pandemic how important paid sick leave is.

If businesses don't provide paid sick leave voluntarily, we need to require them to provide it by law.

Providing paid sick leave is good for everyone and it's the right thing to do.