Sign on: Support Paid Sick Days for Maine Workers
The Maine Small Business Coalition, a group of 4,000 small business owners across the state, has launched a campaign to guarantee earned paid sick days for workers to strengthen our workforce, our businesses, and our communities. It would ensure that all workers earn at least one hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked, up to five days per year. Please add your business’ name to the growing movement, and note how you would like to get involved.
No Mainer should have to choose between their health (and the health of their family), and their job or the wages they need to make ends meet. However, nearly half of all Mainers in the private workforce do not get any paid sick days at work.
Many small businesses support earned paid sick days because letting workers earn paid sick days ensures employees have a chance to fully recover when they get sick, keeping them more productive at work and preventing the spread of illnesses to other workers and the public. It also means less turnover, which is one of the largest costs for small businesses. It costs employers 150% of a salaried employee’s yearly salary to replace them. For an hourly employee, turnover costs between 50% and 75% of the employees’ annual pay. Those costs include recruitment, hiring, and lost productivity.
163 countries, 30 cities, and 11 states, including Massachusetts, Vermont, Connecticut and Rhode Island guarantee earned paid sick days. In studies of places with paid sick days, workers use just under one half of the days they earn, treating paid sick time as a form of insurance, to be saved and used when it is truly needed. For more information,email Maine Small Business Coalition director Adam Zuckerman at [email protected] or read our Frequently Asked Questions here.
Add your businesses’ name to the movement for strong businesses and healthy communities!