Despite being a national leader in access to health care,Vermont lags behind other states in requiring paid sick leave. It’s still legal in Vermont to get fired because you’re sick, and as a result many Vermonters go to work even when they are not well. That’s not just tough on workers, it’s a real danger in the age of swine flu pandemics. But some employers worry that if we require them to offer sick leave, productivity will decline and profits will suffer.

Some Vermont legislators are considering a paid sick leave law, which would require employers to give their workers a certain number of days off if they are sick or need to care for a dependant, and Congress is debating the same idea.

What do YOU think? Do we need to require paid sick leave in Vermont? What about in the Country? Can we trust employers to take care of their workers? And should the rules change when the government is telling us to stay home of we have flu-like symptoms?

Comments (0)