Thousands of working women lack paid sick days

When women do better, families do better. As the first woman elected to Congress from Colorado and a chief sponsor of the 1993 Family and Medical Leave Act who spent nearly 25 years serving the people of Denver and Colorado’s 1st District, I know that well. That’s why it is so appalling that nearly 46,000 women workers in Denver don’t have a single paid sick day.

Paid sick days are critical to our economic security. Women are the sole or co-breadwinners in nearly two-thirds of U.S. households, and most are responsible for their children’s health. When working women don’t have paid sick days, they must choose between health and a paycheck when illness strikes. It isn’t right.

To make matters worse, professions dominated by women — food service, child care, retail, office administration and nursing — are some of the least likely to offer paid sick days. In Denver, 72 percent of food service workers don’t have them. These are the very workers who have the potential to spread illness if they can’t stay home when they are sick.

Fortunately, Denver voters have an opportunity to do better. By voting “yes” for Initiative 300, the city’s paid sick days proposal, you can help give all workers the chance to earn paid sick time. Opponents are pouring money into blocking this badly needed, family friendly measure, but it’s the right thing to do for Denver women, families, businesses and for the public health.

Patricia Schroeder, Celebration, Fla.

The Denver Post

This letter was published in the Oct. 17 edition.

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