• Did you know that North Carolina workers have no right to sick days?

• Did you know that a worker can be fired for missing work to care for their sick child or elderly parent?

• Did you know that no federal law requires sick leave?

In today’s economy, the majority of parents must juggle work and family.  It is a necessity for them to be able to take a reasonable amount of sick days to care for their sick or injured child or parent.  Guaranteeing all workers a basic amount of paid sick days is a cost-effective way to help individuals balance the demands of work and family.  Workers should not have to choose between caring for their ill loved ones and keeping their job.
 
Forty-two percent of North Carolina’s workforce lacks paid sick days

• 1.6 million North Carolina workers do not receive paid sick days.
• Most of them - 1.5 million - work in the private sector.

The majority of parents caring for children are working

• 65% of all North Carolina women with minor children work.
• 64% of all North Carolina married families with children send both spouses to work.

Women and low-wage workers are less likely to receive paid sick days

• Half of all working mothers, nationwide, lose pay when they take a day off to care for their sick child.
• Three-fourths of low-wage workers do not receive paid sick days.
• African-American and Hispanic workers make up a disproportionate share of low-wage employees and are more likely to be without paid sick days.

Paid sick days would benefit workers, their families and their employers
Research shows providing workers with paid sick days:

• Allows ill workers and their children to recover more quickly;
• Lowers health care costs for the worker and the employer;
• Reduces employee absences; and
• Improves retention and increases productivity.