IWPR Research on Paid Sick Days Receives Press Coverage Across the Country

In February, Kevin Miller, Ph.D., worked with Robert Drago, Ph.D., Pennsylvania State University, to release a briefing paper on role of paid sick days in transmission of the H1N1 flu and the need for paid sick days to prevent future pandemics. Dr. Miller recorded a podcast that can be heard on IWPR’s website.

Since it started researching the costs and benefits of paid sick days legislation at local and federal levels, the Institute for Women’s Policy Research has received ongoing state wide coverage. In recent months, Connecticut, Iowa, and Maine legislatures have reviewed bills that would mandate paid sick days for the majority of employees, and IWPR research has explored the effects of these policies.

Here is a selection of press coverage on IWPR’s research across the country:

• Minnesota 2020 cited IWPR research on paid sick days and discussed how paid sick days could benefit businesses.
  
• The Dunn County News cited IWPR research on the percentage of low-wage employees who had less sick days than the average employee.
  
• MSNBC cited IWPR research on the amount of employees who attended work with the swine flu.
  
• The Bristol Press discussed the sick days bill campaign kickoff initiated by Connecticut Senator Edith Prague, citing IWPR research.
  
• The New Haven Register discusses the advocates who are once again pushing for the bill for paid sick days to be passed and cites IWPR research.
  
• The Hartford Courant cites IWPR research on paid sick days and the effect of such policies.
  
• Medill Reports cites IWPR research on paid sick days and discusses why a Chicago legislator does not agree with a bill that would call for an employee to receive up to seven days of sick leave per year.
  
• The Des Moines Register discusses the paid sick leave bill before the Iowa legislature that would mandate a maximum of seven paid sick days for most Iowa employees, and cites IWPR research.
  
• Biz570.com cited IWPR research on the correlation between the swine flu and the lack of paid sick days.
  
• Portland Press Herald cited IWPR research the benefit of paid sick days to employees and businesses.
  
• Bangor Daily News cites IWPR research and discusses the battle between advocates and businesses over whether or not Maine should become the first state to mandate paid sick days be provided for employees.

IWPR continues to provide cost-benefits analyses of paid sick days to cities and states, including upcoming reports on Connecticut and evaluations of the impacts of paid sick days legislation in Washington, D.C., and San Francisco, California. Contact iwpr@iwpr.org or sign up for paid leave alerts to learn more about these projects.