The Nebraska Legislature’s Business and Labor Committee recently held a hearing on LB258, which would ensure Nebraskans have access to basic, earned paid sick leave – promoting healthier and stronger families, especially working parents with young children. Contact the committee members to ensure this important bill moves forward.
Access to basic paid sick leave consistently emerges as a priority for Nebraskans working essential jobs across our state, including our family members and neighbors working in meatpacking. It is all too common for Nebraskans not to have access to even one paid sick day to go to the doctor or care for a sick child.
Community perspectives shared during the hearing:
“If you’re sick and working on the line, we’re wiping our nose on our sleeves to try to make sure it doesn’t drip on the food. If I have a fever in addition to a runny nose, they’ll let me go home, but they’ll give me half a point penalty and it’s not paid time off to get better.”
“If they [employer] don’t care about us — the health of their workers — then they’re going to care even less if it’s your child.”
“At my work, we can arrange in advance for time off for something more serious like a surgery. But if I’m sick one day, I can’t take the day off. There is no paid time off, and they’ll give me a point [penalty] as well.”
Paid sick days provide financial stability for families and benefit local businesses. LB 258 would allow Nebraskans to earn and use 5 paid sick days a year. Paid sick day policies reduce workplace transmissions of contagious viruses such as the flu and COVID-19, ensuring people remain healthy when a co-worker is ill.
Take Action: Support healthy families and workplaces
Contact the Business & Labor Committee to support LB258:
Sen. Ben Hansen, Chairperson, 402-471-2728, bhansen@leg.ne.gov
Sen. Carol Blood, 402-471-2627, cblood@leg.ne.gov
Sen. Tim Gragert, 402-471-280, tgragert@leg.ne.gov
Sen. Steve Halloran, (402) 471-2712, shalloran@leg.ne.gov
Sen. Matt Hansen, (402) 471-2610, mhansen@leg.ne.gov
Sen. Megan Hunt, (402) 471-2722, mhunt@leg.ne.gov
Sen. Steve Lathrop, (402) 471-2623, slathrop@leg.ne.gov
Or submit a comments online for LB258
[button style=”danger” href=”https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_bill.php?DocumentID=44067″]Submit a Comment[/button]
During the pandemic, basic paid sick leave is an important tool for preventing COVID-19 spread. Beyond the pandemic, basic paid sick leave is a wise long-term policy for healthy workplaces, families, and communities. Let’s ensure Nebraskans have access to common-sense health leave, during a pandemic and for the future.