Here's an argument in favor of more paid sick leave: according to a new study, one in eight restaurant workers has come to work at least twice in the past year while suffering from vomiting or diarrhea. Factors associated with workers coming in while sick include a lack of on-call workers and lack of policies requiring workers to report their illnesses to managers. Author Dr. Stephen Sumner told CNN, "It may be if you're working in a busy place your manager is less likely to send you home, or you may feel bad to leave your coworker stranded on a busy shift." more ›

On Thursday, City Council Speaker Christine Quinn basically killed the paid sick leave bill by saying she would not support the measure which would require small businesses (less than 20 people) to give employee five paid sick days while larger businesses would need to give 9 paid sick days. She explained, "It would be a great thing if we could mandate every worker got paid sick leave But if we do that and it causes people to in fact lose their jobs, what benefit have we actually forwarded?" more ›

The business-backed Partnership for New York City released a survey that shows the paid sick leave bill being proposed by the City Council will be expensive, costing businesses $789 million. It also suggests that many businesses (88%) already offer paid sick days—versus other claims that nearly half of businesses do not have paid sick days—thereby making the bill, in its current form, unnecessary. more ›

Business owners did their best yesterday to scare off Council members mulling a bill that would require all employers in the city to provide up to nine paid sick days. The owners insist such a law would force small businesses to slash salaries and benefits, lay off employees, and eventually flee the city. "Pile on another expense to us, you’re gonna put people out of business. You’re gonna encourage people to move their business out of New York City. I’m a mile from New Jersey. It’s a hop over the bridge. And it’s very tempting," said Tom Scarangello of Scaran Heating & Air Conditioning. more ›