Editor’s note: This commentary is by Rep. Sarah Copeland Hanzas, a Democrat who represents Bradford, Fairlee and West Fairlee in the Vermont House of Representatives.
[A]s a small business owner, I know firsthand how challenging it can be to run a small business. As a mother, I know that there is nothing more important to me than my kids’ health and safety. As a legislator, I consider those challenges when we look for ways to help businesses and workers succeed. That is why I believe every Vermonter should have the chance to earn a modest paid sick leave benefit.
Every day, I evaluate what is good for my business — and at the end of the day I know I have to balance my bottom line with the health and well-being of my employees, my customers and my community. It’s an important Vermont value that not only do we want our businesses to thrive, but we also want the people who work at those businesses to thrive. In my experience, the success of worker and business go hand in hand.
As a mother, I know there is nothing more stressful than when your child is sick and needs you home, yet you must go to work.
Vermont recently took one big step towards this mutual economic security by passing modest paid sick days legislation. The bill was crafted carefully, with the concerns of small businesses in mind. Businesses will have time to plan for offering leave, workers only earn leave after demonstrating a long-term commitment to their employer, and employers who already offer some kind of paid leave may meet the requirement simply by allowing for combined time off. It was important to me that all businesses be held to the same modest sick leave policy. When the spouses of my employees don’t have paid sick days, the burden of shuffling staff to cover an illness falls solely on my business.
When we began considering this bill a year ago, nearly 60,000 Vermonters didn’t have access to paid days. Many of these Vermonters work in retail and food service; front line jobs that bring them in contact with food and customers. These Vermonters will now have the opportunity to earn paid sick days, based on their length of employment. Vermont workers should not have to choose between a paycheck and taking care of themselves or a sick family member. When workers have access to paid sick days studies show productivity, retention and morale all increase. When the stress of losing a day’s pay is relieved, people put their energy towards getting well and they return to work happier.
As a mother, I know there is nothing more stressful than when your child is sick and needs you home, yet you must go to work. It’s a sad truth in Vermont that a majority of people who don’t have access to paid sick time are women. According to Megan Dorfman, CEO of the U.S. Women’s Chamber of Commerce, paid leave laws also empower women, allowing them to get ahead in the workplace and still take care of their families and themselves with less fear of losing their job or income.
Paid sick time policies are an investment in a company’s workforce, and one that pays off. Sick leave offers peace of mind and protects public health. When all Vermonters have the chance to earn paid sick leave, the benefits to small businesses will far outweigh the challenges.
