Achoo! Sniff, sniff! The flu season crept into our existence this year like a rude commercial during a good movie. The flu set off a series of medical emergencies in over 40 States in a matter of five weeks. According to the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention the overall rate of infection is 19 per 100,000 people.
While some of you are reaching for a box of tissues right about now, a debate is also surfaced. The debate question: Should there be mandatory paid sick days?
Right now only San Francisco, Seattle, Washington D.C. and Connecticut have paid sick day requirements. Required sick paid leave bills have been raised through various states’ legislative processes only to be later defeated.
There are pros and cons of the argument.
The pros:
- As a customer, I won’t have to worry about coming into contact with people who are infected with the flu virus or something else.
- It could promote company loyalty as employees would not have to worry about losing their job or missing pay while recovering from the flu.
- It could promote a culture of “health and wellness” in the workplace.
The cons:
- In order to remain viable in a sluggish economy, most employers are seeking to cut back expenses not spend more.
- Small employers couldn’t afford the additional cost; independent contractors would not benefit at all.
- It may not necessarily prevent the flu from being passed around.
You be the judge! Take our brief poll and tell us what you think! I would love to hear from you!
[polldaddy poll=6848468]
shocking from my perspective especially given the audience that more respondents say no to paid sick days than yes. There are so many benefits of have paid sick days that are properly managed in my opinion. Would be nice to see the comments from the scrooge group.