Nearly 75 percent of registered voters polled in California favor legislation to guarantee that workers receive a minimum number of paid sick days from their employers, according to a new survey. Widespread support for such a law in the most populous state crossed party lines, including 85 percent of Democrats, 75 percent of non-partisans and 56 percent of Republicans.
The poll was conducted by Field Research Corporation for the California Center for Research on Women and Families, a program of the Public Health Institute, with a grant from the Public Welfare Foundation. The Foundation’s grantmaking on paid sick days as a minimum labor standard is part of its Workers’ Rights program.
Reflecting public health concerns, more than 80 percent of those surveyed agreed that paid sick day laws are a good idea because when sick people go to work, their coworkers and customers can also get sick.
An estimated 5.4 million workers in California are not compensated by their employers if they need time off due to illness. The survey found that 76 percent believe that paid sick days should be a basic right for workers, similar to being paid a decent salary.
More information and survey results can be found at www.ccrwf.org.
