More Companies Under Pressure to Provide Paid Sick Leave
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What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
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Here's your Money Briefing for Wednesday, September 29th. I'm J.R. Whalen for The Wall Street Journal. Earlier this week, we told you about how more companies are instituting family-friendly policies in response to the competition for workers and to employees' demands for better work-life balance. At many large companies, that includes paid sick time and paid leave for full-time employees.
How common is paid sick leave in the U.S. private sector and who lacks it?
But there are millions of other workers with no such benefits.
About 75% of private sector workers in the United States have some sort of paid sick days, though that breaks down along wage lines. High earners, of course, are far more likely to have paid sick time than hourly or lower wage workers.
Catherine Dill covers workplace issues for the WSJ. And coming up, we'll talk with her about the growing pressure on companies to offer paid leave and what's being done about it. That's after the break.
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What federal and state laws currently require paid sick days or paid family leave?
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How do paid sick time and paid family leave differ in purpose and use?
The pandemic's brought to light the occasional need for paid leave, to step away from work for things like wellness and family caregiving. But not all employees enjoy that benefit. WSJ reporter Catherine Dill covers workplace issues and has been tracking efforts to broaden sick leave benefits beyond just large companies. And she joins me now to talk about it. Hi, Catherine. Thanks for being with us.
It's my pleasure.
So, Catherine, let's start with the basics. What does the law currently require employers to provide in terms of sick days or sick leave for employees?
Which employers typically offer paid leave and how does access vary by wage level?
In terms of paid sick days, there's no legal requirement that employers provide them at the federal level. In terms of paid leave, that's the same, though nine states and the District of Columbia now have some manner of paid leave legislation on the books.
Okay, so help us understand the nuances of the benefits here. What's the difference between paid sick time or paid leave?
Paid sick time is typically time that can be used for a minor illness, even if it doesn't feel minor when you have the flu. That's typically how those days are used, and they can be used typically without booking them in advance, like a vacation day. Whereas Paid leaves, paid family leave, typically is used to take care of a new child, whether you are the parent who has given birth or a partner, or to care for a sick family member. Because these leaves have grown in necessity, in popularity, of course, among employees, certainly at larger employers where there's always been competition for talent, these types of leaves have just become table stakes.
Now, what kinds of companies offer these leave policies and who do they offer them to?
They're more typically offered by large employers to salaried employees, though that's a huge generalization, of course. About 75% of private sector workers in the United States have some sort of paid sick days, though that breaks down along wage lines. High earners, of course, are far more likely to have paid sick time than hourly or lower wage workers.
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Chapters
8 chapters
1
What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
0:00–0:56
2
How common is paid sick leave in the U.S. private sector and who lacks it?
0:56–1:29
3
What federal and state laws currently require paid sick days or paid family leave?
1:29–2:03
4
How do paid sick time and paid family leave differ in purpose and use?
2:03–2:33
5
Which employers typically offer paid leave and how does access vary by wage level?
2:33–4:30
6
What real-world impacts do limited paid sick benefits have on hourly workers?
4:30–7:20
7
Why did the pandemic accelerate employer adoption of flexible paid leave policies?
7:20–8:07
8
What paid leave proposals are being considered in Congress and what would they provide?
8:07–8:37
Speakers
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