A Case for Paid Sick Days

The San Francisco Chronicle recently published an opinion-editorial titled, "A case for paid sick days." The opinion-editorial was written by Ellen Wu, who is the executive director of the California Pan-Ethnic Health Network along with Dr. Rajiv Bhatia, who is a co-author of the 2008 health impact assessment of California's proposed Paid Sick Days law.

Their opinion-editorial stated in part:

"Concerns over the recent swine influenza virus appear to be cooling for the moment, but this shouldn't mean that we stop thinking about how to prevent communicable disease. Influenza is an annual and tragic event: Each year, 5 to 20 percent of the U.S. population gets seasonal influenza (the flu), more than 200,000 people are hospitalized from flu complications, and about 36,000 people die. Guaranteeing paid sick days to workers is an important step toward preventing spread of illness and promoting public health."

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