Need some guidance when contacting your legislators or writing a letter to the editor about why North Carolina needs paid sick days?  Below are some talking points that you can use.

Don't know who represents you in the NC General Assembly?  You can look up your legislators.

Get a listing of NC newspapers and contact information to write a letter to the editor.

Talking Points on Paid Sick Days:

• North Carolina should pass the NC Healthy Families, Healthy Workplaces Act.

• 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. 

• We are a nation and a state that prides itself on family values.  When you work hard, you should be able to care for your family. 

• There is no state or federal law that guarantees a minimum of paid sick days for North Carolina workers.

• Almost half, 42%, of North Carolina’s workers lack paid sick days.  That means that 1.6 million of our state’s workers cannot even take a single paid sick day off to care for their or their loved one’s health.

• Without paid sick time, many workers have to make a difficult choice—keeping their job and getting a paycheck or caring for themselves, a sick child, or maybe even a sick parent.

• Paid sick days will not only help our families, it will help our economy too.  We can save money and reduce illnesses.  Research shows providing workers with paid sick days:

o       Allows ill workers and their children to recover more quickly;

o       Lowers health care costs for the worker and the employer;

o       Reduces employee absences; and

o       Improves retention and increases productivity.

• A recent poll conducted by AARP North Carolina found that eight in ten North Carolina workers say that employers should be required to provide a minimum number of paid sick days to full-time employees.  And one in six workers in North Carolina say that they are currently providing care to a family member or friend.

• Women, in particular, are hit hard by a lack of paid sick days.  Almost half of our nation’s working mothers miss work to care for a sick child. 

• It’s not just children that require care; it’s the elderly too.  More than a third of Americans have elderly care responsibilities and many have to take unpaid time off to provide care.  
• The need for elder care will only increase as Baby Boomers retire in the near future.

• Low-wage workers also disproportionately suffer from a lack of paid sick days.  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

• Everyone wins with paid sick days.  Workers can take a day off without fear of losing their jobs to care for a sick child or parent.  Employees save money and retain more long-term dedicated workers.