Vermont Workers Fight for Paid Sick Days

TimesArgus.com recently published an article regarding Vermont's workers fight for paid sick days.

The article states in part:

When the swine flu broke out in the United States last month, President Barack Obama and the U.S. Center for Disease Control warned people to stay home from work if they had flu symptoms.

Unfortunately, for workers at more than half the state's businesses, that would mean taking time off without pay.

"Hard working Vermonters shouldn't have to choose between being healthy and getting a paycheck," said Colin Robinson, the spokesperson for the Vermont Livable Wage Campaign.

Several Vermont organizations and a handful of lawmakers vowed Wednesday to push for a new law in the 2010 Legislative session that would give many more workers in the state paid sick days off.

To read more, click here.

Paid Sick Days Superwoman Saves Pizza Workers

It was Sunday afternoon. Denise was in the mood for pizza. She looked on the Internet and found a pizza parlor in San Jose that specialized in vegetarian pizzas. She ordered a pizza topped with mushrooms, bell peppers and onions along with a cup of freshly squeezed lemonade and a small salad.

Thirty minutes later, Denise's meal was delivered to her door. Denise paid for her meal and gave the worker a generous tip. When Denise opened the pizza's box, she found a note.

We are very lucky that we have paid sick days. Our owner knows that it's important that we don't come to work sick. However, we are deeply concerned about another pizza parlor. Workers come to work sick all the time because they don't have paid sick days. It's bad for customers and it's bad for business.

We've heard that there is a new superhero in town and her name is Paid Sick Days Superwoman. We want her to attend the workers' meeting at 7 p.m. in Sunnyvale. If you know Paid Sick Days Superwoman, please tell her about the meeting.

Denise looked at her watch. It was 5:30 p.m. There was ample time to eat her dinner and go to the meeting. Denise savored her meal. It was delicious.

Denise went into her bedroom's closet and pulled out her paid sick days costume. She put on her purple t-shirt that had Paid Sick Days Superwoman embalmed on it and a pair of purple leggings. Denise then put on wire-brimmed glasses and an auburn wig that she had recently bought. Now, she was ready for action.

It was 6:30 p.m. Denise left her apartment in downtown San Jose and drove to the workers' meeting in Sunnyvale. She parked her car and walked to the pizza parlor.

When she arrived, she was greeted by loud cheers.

"Oh my goodness, it's Paid Sick Days Superwoman," said one of the workers.

"We are so glad that you came," said another worker.

"I'm glad to be here," said Denise. "How can I help you?"

A worker walked up to Denise with a handwritten note. "I'm with a group of workers who work for the pizza parlor in Sunnyvale. We understand that our brothers and sisters in San Jose have paid sick days. However, they work for a different owner. Our owner won't give us paid sick days. We've tried writing a petition but we can't figure out the right words. We heard that you're an excellent writer. We're hoping that you could write the petition for us."

"Just tell me what you want," said Denise. "And I'll write it."

Denise heard comments from different workers. She took down the comments on a yellow notepad. After the workers were done speaking, Denise began writing the text for the petition. Within twenty minutes, she was done.

Denise read the petition to the workers. They all cheered. Denise asked the workers to sign the petition and they all did.

One worker walked up to Denise and said, "Paid Sick Days Superwoman, thank you for your help. The owner is in her office. We've asked her to come out and meet with us. She'll be here in a couple of minutes."

"That's great," said Denise.

When the owner came out into the room, one of the workers handed her the petition. The owner quickly read it. She then looked at Paid Sick Days Superwoman.

"I'm a former law school professor. Your petition is extremely well written. Your arguments are succinct. This is probably the best petition that I've ever read," said the owner.

Denise smiled and said, "Thank you for your kind words."

"You're welcome. After reading your petition, I've decided that I will enact a policy that provides all my workers with paid sick days. This policy is effective today."

The workers cheered. In unison, they said, "Paid Sick Days Superwoman is our hero."

"Thank you," said Denise.

"Is there anything we can do for you?" asked one of the workers.

"Yes, please sign the petition for paid sick days for California workers. And tell your friends and family about the petition.

"We will do that," the workers replied in unison.

Worker Had to Choose Between Feeding Her Son and Going to Work Sick

Sylvia is a mother and a grandmother. Sylvia tells her story about working for an employer that did not provide paid sick days. If she stayed home sick, she did not get paid. Sylvia had to choose between feeding her son and going to work sick.

Watch her story.



Help workers like Sylvia by signing the petition for paid sick days for California workers.

Paid Sick Days Superwoman Helps Ice Cream Workers

Denise was at home reading the latest news on the Internet. She saw an article that caught her eye.

Breaking News: Ice Cream Workers Seek Paid Sick Days Superwoman's Help

Anonymous sources have given us confidential information about an ice cream store in Northern California. Our sources have refused to give the name and specific location of the ice cream store because they fear retaliation.

There are currently over twenty-five workers who work for this ice cream store. Workers enjoy serving ice cream to children and their families.

Some workers have worked for the ice cream store as long as three years. Yet, not one worker receives paid sick days. Because workers do not make a lot of money, they are forced to go to work sick. This endangers the health of the children that they serve.

Workers do not know how to obtain paid sick days. They heard that there is a new superhero in California and her name is Paid Sick Days Superwoman. Last week, she helped a group of workers in San Jose obtain paid sick days.

The workers want to contact her but do not know how to find her. The new superhero doesn't have a Web site or an e-mail address.

At this time, the workers are asking that if anyone knows how to contact Paid Sick Days Superwoman, he or she should provide this information to them immediately. The spokesperson for the workers can be reached at the following special phone number that they have set up. The phone number is . . .

Denise stopped reading. She took her cell phone from her pocket and called the phone number.

"Hello," a woman answered.

"I read your article about needing help," said Denise.

"Do you know how to contact Paid Sick Days Superwoman?" the woman asked.

"I'm her," answered Denise.

"That's great," the woman said in an excited voice. "My name is Eileen and we really need your help with drafting a petition for paid sick days. None of us are good writers and we heard that you are really good."

"I can help you with that," said Denise. "Just give me the details of what you want."

Eileen explained the workers' predicament and provided Denise with the name and address of the company.

"Great," said Denise, "I can meet you in an hour with the petition."

"Fantastic," said Eileen. "I look forward to meeting you."

Denise said good-bye and hung up the phone. She then drafted a petition. After thirty minutes, she was done. Denise printed a copy and put it in her purse.

Denise went into her closet and pulled out her superhero outfit. It was a purple t-shirt with Paid Sick Days Superwoman emblazoned on it and matching purple leggings. Denise put on her outfit along with a wig and wire-brimmed glasses. Now, she was ready for action.

Denise walked out her apartment, locked the door and walked to her car. She drove to the ice cream store. Denise parked her car and walked to the store. When she was at the door, a woman greeted her. The woman beckoned her to come inside the store.

"Hello, I'm Eileen," said the woman. "We spoke on the phone."

"I have the petition," said Denise. She handed the petition to Eileen.

Eileen put on her glasses and read the petition. "This is just what we want," said Eileen. "I'll ask the workers to sign it."

"Great," said Denise.

"Would you like any ice cream?" asked Eileen.

"I'd like a scoop of rocky road ice cream in a cup," said Denise.

"One scoop coming up and it's on the house," said Eileen. Eileen then gave Denise a small cup of ice cream.

"Thank you," said Denise.

"I'm going to talk to the workers now," said Eileen.

Denise ate her ice cream. Denise patted her tummy. The ice cream was the best rocky road ice cream that she had eaten in her life.

A few minutes later, Eileen was back with the petition. "Everyone has signed it," said Eileen.

"That's great," said Denise.

"The owner will be here in twenty minutes," said Eileen. "Can you stay until she comes?"

"Sure," said Denise.

Denise then busied herself by reading a poster about different ice cream flavors. The poster was very interesting.

Twenty minutes later, the owner walked into the store. Eileen was behind the counter serving ice cream to a group of first graders.

The owner glanced at Denise and said, "I know who you are. My friends told me about you. Last week, you were in San Jose."

"Yes, I'm Paid Sick Days Superwoman," said Denise.

"What do you want?" asked the owner.

"All the workers have signed a petition requesting paid sick days," Denise replied. Denise then gave her the petition.

The owner read the petition. "Before I opened the shop, I was an English teacher at a community college for twenty years. Your writing is superb," said the owner.

"Thank you," said Denise in a meek voice.

"Your arguments for paid sick days make a lot of sense. A lot of our customers are young children. We certainly don't want to get them sick. It's a bad for business and it's bad for the children. Based on your petition, I will grant my workers paid sick days."

Denise smiled and said, "That's fantastic news."

Denise then walked to the counter with the owner by her side. Eileen had just finished serving all the first graders. Denise told her about the owner's new policy.

"That's great," said Eileen. "Thank you for your help. Is there anything I can do for you?"

"Yes, please tell everyone you know to sign the petition for paid sick days for California workers," said Denise.

"I will do that," said Eileen.

"I will tell all my friends also," said the owner.

Worker Has No Paid Sick Days After Eight Years

Jesenia lives and works in Southern California. She is 26 years old and the mother of four children. She is happily married and has been with her husband Victor for six years. Although Jesenia has a wonderful family, she doesn’t have a wonderful job.

Jesenia has worked for the same employer for the past eight years. She makes only $8.50 per hour. Jesenia works full time Monday through Friday packing boxes.

Despite working for the same employer for eight years, Jesenia has no paid sick days. When anyone in her family gets sick, she has to take time off from work. This is a hardship for Jesenia and her family. Because when she takes time off from work, this means less money for Jesenia and her family.

Jesenia cannot stress enough how important paid sick days is to her family and her. She is just one of the many people suffering the hardship of choosing between her job and her family.

To help workers like Jesenia, please sign the petition for paid sick days for California workers. Every signature will make a difference.

Adventures of Paid Sick Days Superwoman

Denise sat alone in her apartment in San Jose on a Friday night. She couldn't remember the last time she had gone out and had fun. Denise flipped on her TV and surfed the stations. To Denise's disappointment, there was nothing interesting on TV.

Denise then heard a loud knock at her door. She opened her door. A woman with a long purple sweater and black leggings held a clipboard in her left hand and a bag in her right hand.

Denise asked, "How can help you?"

"Are you Denise?" the woman asked.

"Yes, I am," Denise replied.

"You've been recruited," said the woman.

"Recruited for what?" asked Denise.

"You will be our paid sick days superwoman," said the woman. "You will be a superhero to workers throughout California."

"I think you have made a mistake," said Denise. "I don't have any super powers."

"You have super powers," said the woman.

"No I don't," Denise protested, "I can't go faster than a speeding bullet. I can't climb tall buildings and I can't fly."

"But you have the gift of writing," said the woman.

"Writing is not a super power," said Denise.

"Most people can't write these days," said the woman. "The committee saw samples of your writing and was thoroughly impressed."

"Thank you but I still don't think I qualify," said Denise.

"Yes, you do," said the woman. "You've worked for nonprofits your entire career. You've been involved with community groups. We need someone who cares about making a difference. So you're a great fit."

"Okay," said Denise. "So what's the first step?"

The woman pulled an outfit from her bag and handed it to Denise. "First, you'll need to change into this."

Denise went to her bathroom and changed. She looked at herself in the mirror. Her superhero costume fit perfectly. It was a purple t-shirt with Paid Sick Days Superwoman emblazoned on the front. Matching the t-shirt was a pair of purple leggings.

Denise walked out the bathroom and modeled the outfit.

"You look great," said the woman. "No one can know your real identity. So you'll need to wear a wig and glasses as well."

The woman handed Denise a wig and glasses and Denise put them on. She definitely looked a lot different.

"Now what?" asked Denise.

"There's a group of San Jose workers who need help tonight," said the woman.

"Will you go with me?" asked Denise.

"No, you are a superhero and you work alone," said the woman. She then wrote down an address and handed it to Denise.

"I'll leave now," said Denise.

"Good," said the woman.

Denise said good-bye to the woman, locked her apartment door and walked to her car. She got into her car and drove to the restaurant where the workers worked.

When she arrived at the restaurant, she was greeted by the hostess. The hostess exclaimed, "You must be paid sick days superwoman. We heard that you were coming."

Denise nodded her head. "How can I help you?" Denise asked.

"There are sick workers who are working tonight. They can't go home because they won't get paid," said the hostess.

"That's terrible," said Denise. She then glanced around the restaurant. She saw a worker sneeze. Another looked very pale and tired. And a third had a runny nose.

"Please help us by writing a petition," said the hostess. The hostess then handed Denise a pad with a pen.

Denise began drafting a petition and within a few minutes, she was done. She handed the petition to the hostess. "I think this covers what you need."

The hostess read the petition and said, "This is perfect. I'll get all the workers to sign it."

The hostess talked to the workers. Every worker signed the petition. The hostess then showed Denise their signatures.

"This is great," said Denise. "You should give this to the owner."

"We'll do that right now," said the hostess. "Can you go with us?"

"Sure," said Denise.

The hostess along with two workers and Denise walked to the boss's office. They handed the boss the petition.

The boss read the petition and put her hand on her chin. She looked at Denise and said, "You must be the author of the petition. This is excellent writing. You made an excellent point about protecting our customers from sick workers."

Denise nodded her head. "Yes, it's important that we don't infect the customers with the workers' illnesses."

"You're absolutely correct," said the boss. "Based on the petition, I will provide our workers with paid sick days."

"Thank you," said the hostess.

The boss then turned to the hostess and said, "Please tell the workers who are sick to go home and get well. We will pay them for their time off."

"I will do this now," said the hostess. The hostess along with the two workers left the boss's office.

The boss turned to Denise and said, "Is there anything else I can do?

"Please tell everyone you know to sign the petition for paid sick days for California workers," answered Denise. "Every signature will make a difference."

"I will do that," said the boss.

The Easter Bunny and Paid Sick Days

Jenna was a student at a community college in Salinas where she was taking a class in community organizing. She also was interning at an Easter egg farm.

Jenna enjoyed working with the workers on the farm and taking care of the Easter bunnies. Jenna smiled while the Easter bunnies painted eggs bright colors and made baskets. Jenna then heard a loud sneeze. She looked up and saw a bunny with a runny nose.

"You're sick," said Jenna. "You should go home and get some rest."

The bunny shook her head and sneezed again. "I can't go home," cried the bunny.

"Why not?" asked Jenna.

"I can't afford to take time off," said the bunny.

"You don't have any bills," said Jenna.

"Yes, I do," said the bunny. "I have my own place and I have to pay rent and buy my food."

"Don't you have paid sick days?" asked Jenna.

"When I worked in San Francisco, I had paid sick days," answered the bunny. "But I had to move a few months ago."

"Why?" asked Jenna.

"My grandmother lives in Salinas. She got sick and she needed someone to take care of her," answered the bunny.

"Well, it's good that you're taking care of your grandmother," said Jenna. "But you really need to take care of yourself."

"I told you before that I can't," said the bunny. "Besides I need to help with painting the eggs and making baskets."

"If you do that, you'll get the kids sick," said Jenna.

"That's a good point," said the bunny. "But I don't know what to do."

"Maybe we can talk to the head bunny," said Jenna.

"But she's busy," said the bunny. "She probably doesn't have time to talk."

"I'll talk to her," said Jenna. "I'll be back in a few minutes."

Jenna then left. The bunny blew her nose a few times and closed her eyes.

When the bunny opened her eyes, she saw Jenna who had a big smile on her face.

"Great news," said Jenna. "The head bunny has agreed to give you paid sick days. She doesn't want you to get the kids sick. So you can go home now and get some rest."

"Thank you for your help," said the bunny. "I'm going to rest and hopefully I'll be better before Easter."

"That's great," said Jenna.

"Is there anything I can do for you?" asked the bunny.

"When you get better, please sign the petition for paid sick days for California workers."

"I will do that," replied the bunny.

Hansel and Gretel and Paid Sick Days

Vanessa recently had been promoted to vice president of her company. Times were good. Vanessa was making a lot of money and she had good benefits, which included paid sick days.

Vanessa decided to visit her favorite deli in downtown Yosemite for lunch. When she ordered a sandwich, she noticed that the sandwich maker was sniffling. Vanessa's stomach turned when the worker wiped his nose with his bare hand.

Vanessa wanted to tell the worker to go home. Instead, she said nothing. When the worker handed her the sandwich, Vanessa paid for it. She then walked out of the deli.

When Vanessa saw a nearby trash can, she threw the sandwich away. She then felt a tap on her shoulder. She turned around and saw a young woman and man.

The young woman asked, "Why did you throw away a perfectly good sandwich?"

"Young lady, the worker who made my sandwich was sick," replied Vanessa. "There's no way I'm going to eat a sandwich made by a sick worker."

"Why didn't you say anything when you were in the deli?" asked the young man.

"Young man, because I didn't want to hurt the worker's feelings," replied Vanessa. "I just won't go back there anymore for lunch."

"Maybe you should have asked the worker why he was working sick," said the young woman.

"Young lady, I don't have time to ask those kinds of questions," said Vanessa. "I have a lot more important things to do in life."

"Like what?" asked the young man.

"Who are you? The food police?" asked Vanessa.

"No, we're Hansel and Gretel," replied the young man and young woman in unison.

"You're kidding right," said Vanessa. "Hansel and Gretel is a fairy tale."

"We're really Hansel and Gretel," said the young man and young woman together. "However, we've expanded our roles from our fairy tale days. Right now, we're on a special assignment."

"What's your assignment?" asked Vanessa.

"We're helping workers obtain paid sick days," said Gretel.

"What does have to do with me?" asked Vanessa. "I have paid sick days and I'm doing quite well."

"Did you always have paid sick days?" asked Hansel.

"I've been working at this job for about five years and I've had paid sick days since the day I started," said Vanessa.

"What about your last job?" asked Gretel.

"We didn't have paid sick days," said Vanessa. "A few years ago, I had the flu where I could barely move. I had to go to work or I wouldn't be able to pay my rent. Well, I went to work and I got really sick. I ended up in the hospital and I couldn't work for about three weeks. I lost my apartment and I had to sleep on a friend's couch for about three months until I was able to get my money together for a new place."

"So you've gone through hard times," said Hansel.

"Yes, I have," said Vanessa.

"The deli worker is going through a hard time also," said Gretel. "He can't afford to take time off from work."

"Now I understand why he went to work today," said Vanessa. "But there has to be a way to help him."

"There is," said Hansel. "We are gathering signatures for a petition for paid sick days for California workers. If you sign the petition, you'll help the six million California workers who lack paid sick days."

"I'll sign the petition," said Vanessa. "Is there anything else I can do?"

"Yes," answered Gretel. "Tell everyone about the petition for paid sick days for California workers. Together we can a difference."

Three Little Pigs and Paid Sick Days

After a year of looking for work, Sarah finally found a job at a grocery store in Oakland. The job didn't pay a lot and it had no benefits. However, with the recession, Sarah didn't have a lot of choices. Her unemployment had run out a month ago and she had less than $100 in the bank.

On her first day of work, Sarah noticed that several of her co-workers were sick. Two of the workers sneezed while they were loading vegetables in bins. Another worker wiped his nose while he was ringing up customers' purchases.

On her break, Sarah went into the bathroom. When she looked in the mirror, she saw three pigs. Because Sarah thought she was seeing things, she ignored the pigs.

The pigs spoke, "Hello, we're the three little pigs."

"Isn't the three little pigs a fairy story?" Sarah asked.

"Back in the old days, we were a fairy tale," replied the three little pigs. "However, since the recession we've been community organizers. We help workers."

"That's nice," said Sarah. "But I don't need help."

"What about your co-workers?" asked the three little pigs.

"Some of them are sick," said Sarah. "They should just go home and get some rest."

"Do they get paid if they go home?" asked the three little pigs.

"No, we don't have benefits," said Sarah. "At my old job I had paid sick days. Times were good but then I got laid off. I had to take this job because I couldn't find anything else."

"That's too bad," said the three little pigs.

"Yeah I know," said Sarah. "I don't understand why we don't have paid sick days. We are a grocery store and our workers should be healthy. When workers come to work sick, they can infect the customers and their families with their illnesses."

"That's right," said the three little pigs. "Plus what do you think happens when a customer sees a sick worker?"

"They probably won't want to come back," replied Sarah.

"So not having paid sick days is not only a health hazard but it's bad for business," said the three little pigs.

"You're right," said Sarah. "How do we get paid sick days?"

"Clap your hands three times and say I want paid sick days for my co-workers," said the three little pigs.

Sarah clapped her hands and said the chant. "Now what?" asked Sarah.

"Turn around and look on the bathroom wall," said the three little pigs.

"It's a memo," said Sarah. "The owner said we now have paid sick days because she had too many complaints about sick workers. In fact, one customer stopped shopping at the store after she caught the flu from a sick worker."

"Now, your co-workers can go home and get some rest," said the three little pigs.

"That's great," said Sarah. "Thank you for helping out my co-workers."

"You're welcome," said the three little pigs.

"Is there anything I can do?" asked Sarah.

"Yes, sign the petition for paid sick days for California workers," said the three little pigs.

"I'll will and I will tell my co-workers and friends about the petition," said Sarah.

The Goblin and Paid Sick Days

For the past year, Megan had worked as a food service worker at a cafeteria in downtown San Jose. Her job didn't pay a lot. However, Megan liked serving the public. She also was able to go to school part-time, because her job had flexible hours.

It was Saturday night and Megan was studying at home for a mid-term. She decided to take a break from studying and get a snack at the cafeteria. She put on her coat and walked quickly. When she was less than a block away from the cafeteria, a goblin stopped her.

"I'm lost," said the goblin, "Can you help me?"

"You're a goblin. I thought that goblins only come out during Halloween," said Megan.

"You're right," replied the goblin. "But I got on this time machine and hit the wrong button. Now, I'm here and I need to find a way to get back to Halloween."

"Well, I don't know anything about time machines," said Megan. "So I can't help you."

"That's okay," said the goblin. "Maybe we could pretend it's Halloween."

"I don't have time," said Megan. "I need to get a snack from where I work and go back to studying."

"Before you go, I need to talk to you about something," said the goblin.

"What?" Megan asked.

"Paid sick days," said the goblin.

"You're goblin. Why do you care about paid sick days?" asked Megan.

"All goblins are entitled to paid sick days," said the goblin. "It's part of our constitution. When we heard that six million California workers didn't have paid sick days, we were shocked. If goblins have paid sick days, so should California workers."

"That makes sense to me," said Megan.

"Do you have paid sick days?" asked the goblin.

"At my job, we don't have paid sick days," replied Megan.

"Do you think that's right?" asked the goblin.

"Of course not," replied Megan. "Three months ago, my co-worker Suzie went to work sick with flu. Suzie is a single mom with a young daughter and really needed to work. The owner told her to go home and wouldn't pay her for her time off. It took a week for Suzie to get well. Suzie lost her apartment because she couldn't pay the rent. She and her daughter are now living in a homeless shelter."

"That's horrible," said the goblin.

"Yeah, I know," said Megan. "But a lot of jobs don't have paid sick days. There's nothing that we can do."

"There is something that you can do," said the goblin. "There's a petition for paid sick days for California workers. You should sign it and tell Suzie and your other co-workers to sign it as well"

"I will sign the petition," said Megan. "And I'll tell everyone. I hope you find your way back to Halloween."

"If I don't, I'll keep telling workers about the paid sick days petition."

"Great," said Megan. "See you later."

The Magic Wand and Paid Sick Days

Suzy worked as a cashier at a pet store in San Jose. She had a wad of tissue in her left hand. Her nose was runny and her eyes were red. Her voice was hoarse from coughing.

Her co-worker Jenny tapped her on the shoulder and said, "Suzy, you should go home. If you stay here, you'll get our customers and the animals sick."

"I can't go home," Suzy cried. "I was already off Monday and Tuesday. If I take off today, I won't be able to pay the childcare bill for my daughter Jasmine. And if I don't have childcare, I'll lose my job."

"Can't you ask your folks for help?" Jenny asked.

"Both of my parents are on disability. So they have no money," Suzy replied.

"What about Jasmine's father?" Jenny asked.

"He's two years behind in paid child support. So I don't have a choice about working," said Suzy.

"Yes, you do," said Jenny.

"No, I don't," said Suzy while she wiped her nose with a tissue.

"I have a magic wand," said Jenny while pulling out a magic wand from her bag. "You can make a wish and it will be granted."

"I wish that I never would have to work again," said Suzy.

"Sorry, the wand can't grant that wish," said Jenny. "I got it at a recession sale and it has limited powers."

"What can I wish for?" Suzy asked while coughing.

"Paid sick days," replied Jenny.

"I wish for paid sick days," said Suzy.

Jenny twirled the magic wand and said a few magic words. She then turned to Suzy and said,
"Your wish is granted."

"Really?" asked Suzy.

"Check your e-mail," said Jenny.

Next to Suzy's cash register was the pet store's computer. She logged in and checked her company e-mail. Suzy saw an e-mail from corporate headquarters. It said the following:

Effective today, we are implementing a paid sick day policy. If you are sick, please go home. We will pay you for your time off. We want our workers to be healthy because we serve pet owners and their pets.

"Jenny, thank you for your help," said Suzy. "Is there anything I can do for you?"

"Yes, please sign the petition for paid sick days for California workers and tell everyone you know about the petition," replied Jenny.

"I will do that," said Suzy.

The Queen and Paid Sick Days

Veronica looked in the mirror. She looked awful. She had been sick over the weekend and she was not getting better. She looked at her watch. She would have to be at work in an hour. She wanted to stay home but couldn't.

Veronica got dressed and combed her long, thick hair and put it in a ponytail. She looked in the mirror again. She still looked terrible.

Her cell phone rang. Veronica picked it up.

“Hello, may I speak to Veronica?" a woman’s voice asked.

“This is Veronica,” replied Veronica.

“You sound horrible,” said the voice.

“I’m not feeling too well,” said Veronica.

“Are you going into work today?” asked the voice.

“Who are you?” Veronica asked.

“I am the Queen of Paid Sick Days. I know what happened over the weekend,” said the voice.

“I don’t believe you,” said Veronica.

“On Friday night, you went to your boyfriend’s cousin’s house for dinner. She made a pizza withmushrooms, bell peppers and onions. She forgot to wash her hands. So everybody got sick. You’ve had bad stomach cramps and you keep going to the bathroom every hour. The site of food makes you nauseous,” said the Queen.

“I believe you now,” said Veronica.

“I don’t understand why you’re going to work today,” said the Queen. “You’re still not well.”

“I don’t have a choice. Right now, I’m working at a job that barely pays my bills. If I miss one day of work, I won’t be able to pay my rent,” said Veronica.

“Can’t your boyfriend help you out?” asked the Queen.

“He’s been out of work for months and his unemployment will run out at the end of the month. When it does, he’s going to move into his parents’ house,” replied Veronica.

“Can’t your parents help you out?” asked the Queen.

“My mother had me late in life. She’s on social security and lives in senior housing. She doesn’t have any extra money. And my dad died of a heart attack a few years ago. So no one can help me,” replied Veronica.

“Seeing that things are bad for you, I can help you get paid sick days,” said the Queen.

“How?” asked Veronica.

“I am going to make a few calls. I'll call you back in a few minutes,” said the Queen.

“Okay,” said Veronica. She then hit the end button on her cell phone.

A few minutes later, Veronica’s cell phone rang. Veronica answered it.

“This is Queen of Paid Sick Days. I have your boss on the line,” said the Queen.

“Veronica, the Queen told me that you’re sick. You should stay home,” said Veronica’s boss. “And effective today, all of our workers are entitled to paid sick days.”

“Really?” asked Veronica.

“Yes,” replied Veronica’s boss. “It makes fiscal sense. Healthy workers are good workers and it will reduce turnover in the workplace. So again, you’ll get paid for staying home today. Just take care of yourself and get better.”

“Thank you very much,” said Veronica.

“I have to go now,” said Veronica’s boss.

“I’ll call back you in a minute,” said the Queen.

Veronica hit the end button on her cell phone. Within a minute, her cell phone rang. Veronica answered it.

“Now you can stay home and not worry about your rent,” said the Queen.

“Thank you for your help. I really appreciate it,” said Veronica.

“You’re welcome,” replied the Queen.

Is there anything I can do for you?” asked Veronica.

“When you get better, please sign the petition for paid sick days for California workers. Please tell your friends and family members in California about the petition,” said the Queen.

“I will," said Veronica. "And thank you again for everything.”

Paid Sick Days are Good for the Economy

Professors Marc Levine and Michael Rosen recently wrote an eloquent opinion-editorial in the Milwaukee-Wisconsin Journal Sentinel supporting paid sick days for workers. The professors skillfully argued that a policy of paid sick days benefits the economy. They noted the positive impact of San Francisco's paid sick days ordinance.

Opponents say requiring paid sick days is a worthy objective but not economically viable. Some have invoked the recession as a reason to oppose it.

But these opponents offer the same discredited methodology and arguments that low-road employers have used historically in opposing child labor laws, minimum wage, workers compensation, clean air regulations and virtually every other labor standard this nation has adopted. Each time the opposition characterized the new labor or community standard as a job killer. And after each standard was established, the business community adapted, the economy grew and our country, its workers and their families were better for it.

In the 1990s, business lobbyists used a similar argument to oppose raising the minimum wage. But after states and even cities raised wages above the national minimum, economists found the Chicken Little scenarios did not occur: Incremental increases did not increase unemployment or cause minimum wage-paying firms to lay people off. Those state and local victories paved the way for advances on the national level.

Facing similar dire warnings, San Francisco enacted a paid sick leave ordinance in 2007. However, despite an economic downturn affecting all counties in the Bay Area, San Francisco maintained a competitive job growth rate that exceeded the average rate of nearby counties.

To read the complete opinion-editorial, click here.

Rapunzel and Paid Sick Days

Rapunzel worked in a factory that manufactured wigs for cancer patients and women who suffered from hair loss in the San Francisco Bay Area. She liked her job a lot because she was helping people.

For some reason, her employer did not provide paid sick days. Not having paid sick days was a real hardship for Rapunzel. Two years ago, Rapunzel's frail elderly mother moved in with her. Her mother's family members were dead. Rapunzel's friends all worked. There was no one to help her to take care of her mother.

For the past two days, Rapunzel's mother had been sick with the flu. Rapunzel took time off from work to stay home with her. If she didn't return back to work tomorrow, she wouldn't be able to pay the rent for their small modest apartment.

Unfortunately, her mother's medication wasn't working. Rapunzel felt tears welling up her eyes because she didn't know what to do.

She walked into her bathroom and got some tissue to wipe away her tears. Rapunzel then grabbed her hairbrush from the counter. She brushed her long, thick hair that flowed past her waist. She put her hair into a long braid.

She then saw a mouse scurry across the bathroom floor. "Gross," she screamed, "This is the last thing I need now."

"I'm not gross," the mouse replied.

Rapunzel looked bewildered. "You can't talk," she said. "You're a mouse."

"Girlfriend, I'm not an ordinary mouse. I have special powers," the mouse replied.

"What kind of powers?" Rapunzel asked.

"Girlfriend, I can outfox a cat and eat cheese like there's no tomorrow."

"Those kind of powers aren't going to help me," Rapunzel said. "I need my mother to get better so I go back to work. Do you have magic spells that can help me with this?"

"Magic spells have never been my thing. I always get always the words mixed up. The last time I did a magic spell, I turned a prince into a frog. Since that time, he's been hanging out in the pond catching flies."

Rapunzel rolled her eyes. "Do you have any healing powers?"

"Girlfriend, you've reading too many fairy tales," the mouse answered. "The only folks who have that kind of power are doctors."

"Then how you can help me?" Rapunzel asked.

"Girlfriend, my secret power is persuasion," the mouse answered. "I can talk to your boss and get her to agree to give you paid sick days."

"Nobody has that kind of power," Rapunzel said. "Besides, I don't want to get into trouble."

"I'm a lawyer. Back in the day, I was a top litigator and I never lost a case. I retired a few years ago. I now help folks with getting paid sick days."

"How come I've never heard of you?"

"Back then, I was human," the mouse replied. "But I did a magic spell on myself and I turned myself into a mouse. There's no reverse spell to change me back."

"So what's your fee?" Rapunzel asked.

"Girlfriend, I retired well. Now, that I'm a mouse, I don't have any real expenses. So my fee is nothing," the mouse answered. "So can I talk to your boss?"

"Sure," Rapunzel said. She then recited the contact information for her boss.

The mouse then disappeared into a hole.

Rapunzel walked into her bedroom. To her surprise, the mouse was on the bed with a rolled up document.

Rapunzel picked up the document and read it.

Because we are in the business of taking care of people, it has come to our attention that we are not taking care of our workers. We were presented with convincing arguments, which demonstrated why we should provide paid sick days for our workers. Accordingly, we have a new policy. Effective today, all workers shall be entitled to paid sick days to take care of themselves, a sick child or other sick relative including a parent, grandparent, sister or brother.

Rapunzel smiled. "Thank you. I appreciate all that you have done."

"You're welcome," the mouse replied. "By the way, please sign the petition for paid sick days. Please make sure that all of your friends and family in California also sign it."

"I will," Rapunzel replied.

California Workers: Share Your Paid Sick Days Stories

We are currently gathering stories from California workers who don't have paid sick days. Do you work for an employer who doesn't provide paid sick days? Or maybe you worked in the past for an employer who didn't provide paid sick days. Please share your story.

We would like to post California workers' stories on our blog. For our stories, we need the following information.

1. Your occupation
2. Your city of residence in California
3. How long you have worked or did you work for your employer?
4. Are you are a single working parent? If yes, what are the ages of your child(ren)?
5. Are you a caregiver for a parent, grandparent or other relative?
6. How has the lack of paid sick days affected you and/or your family?

If you wish to be anonymous, please state this in your e-mail. We'll contact you if we decide to publish your story.

Please e-mail us at californiaworker@gmail.com. We look forward to your responses.

Pinocchio and Paid Sick Days

For the past eight months, Pinocchio had worked for a company in Redwood City. Today, he felt horrible. Pinocchio clutched his head in his hands. He had a terrible migraine headache. Pinocchio wanted to go home and rest, but he couldn't. He had a ton of work. Besides if he went home, he wouldn't get paid.

Athena, a co-worker, tapped him on his shoulder. She said, "Pinocchio, you look awful."

"Athena, I'm okay," Pinocchio replied.

He removed his hands from his head and closed his eyes for a few seconds. He then opened his eyes. He touched his nose. To his surprise, his nose had grown an inch.

"No, you're not," Athena countered.

"I'm fine," Pinocchio insisted.

Pinocchio's nose grew another inch.

Every time you pretend that you're well, your nose grows," Athena said.

"I'm not fibbing," Pinocchio argued.

Pinocchio's nose grew two more inches.

"Say you feel 100 percent healthy," Athena said.

"I feel 100 percent healthy," Pinocchio said.

"Oh my gosh, your nose is huge," Athena said, "You need to start telling the truth about your health."

Pinocchio touched his nose. It was long as his face. He was embarrassed.

"Okay, I will," Pinocchio said sheepishly.

"So how are you feeling?" Athena asked.

"Awful, but I can't go home." Pinocchio answered. "If I do, I won't get paid."

"Losing a few hours of pay shouldn't matter," Athena said.

"Yes, it does when you're raising a little brother," Pinocchio replied. "We lost our parents in a wood chopping accident two years ago. We need every penny for food and clothes. So if I take off the rest of the day, we will have to skip a few meals."

Pinocchio then touched his nose. It was now its normal size. "I'll have to pretend that I'm not sick if the boss comes by," Pinocchio added.

"I have a better idea," said Athena.

"What?" Pinocchio asked.

"I'm a goddess," said Athena. "I have special powers."

"Wasn't Athena a goddess in Greek mythology?" Pinocchio asked.

"Yes. The original Athena was my great-great-great grandmother," Athena replied. "I was named after her. She was known for her wisdom."

"So if you're a goddess, why are you working here?" Pinocchio asked.

"Nowadays, we're actively involved in the community. 2009 is the year of the California worker. Our mandate is to help workers obtain paid sick days." Athena answered.

"Wow," Pinocchio said. "So can you get me paid sick days today?"

"Yes, I can," Athena said. "Touch your nose three times and say I want paid sick days."

Pinocchio touched his nose three times and said the chant.

"Now what?" Pinocchio asked.

"I just received a memo from company headquarters that all workers have paid sick days effective today," Athena replied. "So you can go home now and get the rest you need."

"Thank you Athena," Pinocchio said. "How can I repay you?"

"You should sign the petition for paid sick days for California workers," Athena answered.

"I will do that," Pinocchio. "And I'll tell everyone I know about it."

9to5 Fights to Save Paid Sick Days in Milwaukee

In the November 2008 election, Milwaukee voters overwhelmingly voted by 69 percent margin for paid sick days. Unfortunately, the Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce has filed a lawsuit against the city of Milwaukee to overturn the passed sick days law.

In order to protect workers, our sister chapter 9to5 in Milwaukee has asked the court to allow it to intervene in the lawsuit as a defendant. To read more about the lawsuit, click here.

Little Red Riding Hood, the Wolf and Paid Sick Days

Little Red Riding Hood was on her bike on her way to her grandmother's house. In her basket, she had soup, crackers and juice to help her grandmother feel better. Over the past few days, her grandmother had been sick with the flu and she hadn't been able to go into work.

Little Red Riding Hood stopped at a red light on Hen Road in Inglewood. She felt a tap on her shoulder. She turned around and a saw a wolf who introduced himself.

Little Red Riding Hood said, "Grandma told me not to talk to wolves because they eat people."

"Not me," said the wolf, "I'm a vegetarian."

"I've never heard of a vegetarian wolf," said Little Red Riding Hood. "Are you lying to me?"

"I'm telling the truth. When I used to eat meat, my cholesterol and blood pressure were out-of-control. Plus, I had no energy. It got so bad that I couldn't even walk a block. Now, that I've given up meat, I've lost weight and I can run three miles with no problem," replied the wolf.

"Wow, wait until I tell my grandma this," said Little Red Riding Hood.

"My no people diet has done wonders," the wolf said proudly.

"So what do you want?" asked Little Red Riding Hood.

"I heard that your grandmother has paid sick days," said the wolf.

"That's true," replied Little Red Riding Hood, "That's why she's able to stay home with the flu and not worry about her bills."

"I need paid sick days at my job," said the wolf, "I work with a bunch of wolves at this meat factory and they won't let us take time off when we get sick."

"You're a vegetarian and you work at a meat factory," said Little Red Riding Hood.

"I've got make a living," said the wolf, "And with the recession, I'm glad that I have a job."

"I guess I'm lucky. I'm in school so I don't have to worry about looking for work," said Little Red Riding Hood.

"At work, it gets kind of nasty when the wolves come in sick," said the wolf. "Sometimes we sneeze into the meat when we are packing it."

"Gross," said Little Red Riding Hood. "Maybe you should call the food inspector."

"We did," said the wolf, "But the company still wouldn't give us paid sick days."

"My grandma told me about this petition for paid sick days for workers in California. You and the other wolves should sign it."

"Are paw prints, okay?" asked the wolf.

"Sure," Little Riding Hood answered. "Here's the link to the petition for paid sick days."

"Great," the wolf said. "I'll tell all my co-workers about the petition."

Goldilocks and Paid Sick Days

Goldilocks loved her job working as a pre-school teacher at a private school in Palo Alto. She taught her class the alphabet and other things. She also was a great storyteller.

Goldilocks' favorite student was Samantha who was very bright and bubbly. Samantha was a scholarship student. Samantha's mother Vanessa worked at a local hotel as a food server.

Sometimes Samantha would come to school sick. When she did, some of the other children got sick. Goldilocks had sent Vanessa e-mails explaining that she shouldn't send Samantha to school sick. For some reason, Vanessa never responded to the e-mails.

One day, Samantha came to school with a bad case of the flu. Goldilocks tried calling Vanessa but no one answered. Goldilocks asked another teacher to watch her class while she took Samantha home.

When she got into her car with Samantha, Samantha told her not to take her home.

"Mommy is at work," Samantha said.

"We'll go to your mommy's work," Goldilocks said.

Goldilocks pulled out her cell phone from her purse and called the office for Vanessa's work address along with directions. After she obtained the information, Goldilocks put away her cell phone and then turned on her ignition. Within a few minutes, she and Samantha arrived at Vanessa's work.

Samantha asked the person at the front desk for Vanessa. A few minutes later, Vanessa came. She was dressed in a server's black and white uniform and hair was in a bun. She looked terrible. Her eyes were bloodshot and her nose was red. In her left hand, she had a wad of tissue.

"Vanessa, I'm your daughter's teacher," said Goldilocks. "You look really sick. You need to go home and take care of yourself and your daughter."

"I can't," Vanessa protested. "If I go home, I won't get paid because they don't give us paid sick days. I can't afford to lose a day's pay. Every month, I struggle to pay my rent and electric bill."

"That's horrible," said Goldilocks. "We can fix that."

"How?" Vanessa asked. "I've worked here two years and no one has paid sick days. Management doesn't care."

"I have a plan called Goldilocks and the three bears," Goldilocks said.

"Isn't Goldilocks and the three bears a fairy tale?" Vanessa asked.

"Back in the day when I worked with the three bears, we were a fairy tale. However, times have changed. We now are community organizers," Goldilocks answered. "Our top priority is making sure that California workers have paid sick days that fit them just right."

"You're the original Goldilocks," Vanessa said.

"Yup," Goldilocks answered. "My hair is 100 percent natural blond."

"No, it's not," Vanessa argued. "It's dark brown."

"This is a wig. I use it to disguise myself. My real hair underneath is blond," Goldilocks said. Goldilocks then removed her wig and showed off her long blond tresses.

"Wow," Vanessa said. "I guess you are the real Goldilocks. So how do I get paid sick days?"

"Close your eyes, clap your hands three times and I say I want paid sick days."

Vanessa closed her eyes, clapped her hands three times and said the chant. When she opened her eyes, the owner of the hotel was standing next to her.

"Vanessa, I just talked to some of our customers," the owner said. "They said they are tired of workers coming to the hotel sick and sneezing in the food. They want us to give the workers paid sick days. Effective today, workers will receive paid sick days. As a result, I am sending you home with full pay so you can take care of yourself and your daughter."

"Thank you," Vanessa smiled.

The owner then walked away.

Vanessa turned to Goldilocks and said, "I'll take my daughter home now."

"Good," Goldilocks said. "Get some rest, drink hot tea and eat chicken noodle soup."

"Will do," Vanessa said. "Anything else?"

"When you get better, sign the petition for paid sick days for California workers and spread the word to your friends," said Goldilocks.

Paid Sick Days Fairy Godmother

Once upon a time, there was a single mom, Cindi, who worked very hard. She worked during the week at a job that she liked a lot. Cindi had worked for the same company in San Jose for over three years and had nice co-workers.

Cindi wished her job paid more and had paid sick days. However, she was glad that it paid her rent, food and other bills.

Cindi was very proud of her nine-year-old daughter Briana, who loved to play soccer. It was always a joy to watch Briana play on the field.

One Sunday when Briana was playing soccer, she got hurt very badly. Cindi took Briana to the hospital. The doctor told Cindi that Briana would be fine but she would need to stay home from school for three days.

Cindi didn't have anyone to take care of Briana. Her parents lived very far away. Briana's father was away on a trip with his new wife. And all of Cindi's friends worked during the week.

Cindi looked at her bank account balance online. She had less than $100 in her account. The rent was due in a couple weeks. Cindi needed a full paycheck to cover the rent. If she took off three days, she would be short by a couple hundred dollars.

Cindi didn't know what to do. She didn't want to lose her apartment. She had lived in the apartment for a long-time. It had two-bedrooms and it was in a nice working class neighborhood.

She walked into her bedroom's closet. To her surprise, there was a pair of glass slippers. She tried them on. They fit perfectly.

She walked back into her bedroom and looked into the mirror. Instead of her reflection, she saw a woman with long white hair.

The woman spoke, "I am your fairy godmother."

Cindi responded, "I don't have a fairy godmother."

"When you put on the glass slippers, I became your fairy godmother," the woman replied.

"Okay," Cindi said.

"I have the power to grant you one wish," the fairy godmother said.

"I'd like a million dollars," Cindi said.

"I'm sorry but I can't grant that wish," the fairy godmother said. "We're in a recession and our funds are limited."

"What kind of things can I wish for?" Cindi asked.

"Something simple that will help others," the fairy godmother responded.

"I wish my employer had paid sick days for all workers," Cindi said.

"Say I want paid sick days three times and your wish will be granted," the fairy godmother said.

"I want paid sick days. I want paid sick days. I want paid sick days," Cindi said excitedly.

"It's been granted," the fairy godmother said.

"Really?" Cindi asked.

"Yes, just check your e-mail," the fairy godmother responded.

Cindi went online and checked her e-mail. Her boss Ms. Charming had sent her an e-mail.

Because we will be adding an office in San Francisco, we went to a training about San Francisco's Paid Sick Days ordinance. We were very impressed by how both businesses and workers like paid sick days.

As a result, we have decided to provide paid sick days to our workers. Effective tomorrow, all fulltime workers shall have 12 paid sick days per year. Sick days will be prorated for part-time workers. Sick days may be used to take care of yourself or a family member.

Cindi smiled. She now would be able to pay her rent and take care of Briana. When Cindi walked back to the mirror to see her fairy godmother, she saw a note on her bed.

Cindi,

I had to leave to help another worker whose name is Cinder Ella.

To help the six million California workers who don't have paid sick days, please sign the petition for paid sick days.

In Community Spirit,

Paid Sick Days Fairy Godmother