HomeMy WebLinkAboutResolutions - 2015.10.07 - 22039MISCELLANEOUS RESOLUTION . #15259
BY: Commissioner Janet Jackson, District #21
IN RE: BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS - SUPPORT FOR SENATE BILL 101 AND HOUSE BILL 4167 -
PAID SICK LEAVE ACT — STATE OF MICHIGAN
To the Oakland County Board of Commissioners
Chairperson, Ladies and Gentlemen:
WHEREAS the Michigan League for Public Policy reports more than 1.6 million Michigan workers,
approximately 46% of private sector workers, are without paid sick leave when they are ill or care for a
sick child or relative; and
WHEREAS the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reveals the inadequacy of paid sick leave coverage:
across the U.S. more than 59 million workers have no such leave and nearly 86 million do not have paid
sick leave to care for sick children; and
WHEREAS when employers provide paid sick leave, workers have the ability to regain their health, return
to full productivity at work, and avoid the spreading of disease to their co-workers, reducing the
employers overall costs due to employee absenteeism; and
WHEREAS a recent poll conducted by ComPsych Corporation, the world's leading provider of employee
assistance programs, reported 77% of the employees surveyed from 700 U.S. companies stated they go
to work sick instead of staying home to care for themselves; and
WHEREAS when employees go to work sick as a result of not having paid sick leave, this practice is
known as "presenteeisrn." Their illness spreads among co-workers who become sick and take time off,
which increases employee absenteeism and employer costs within the workplace; and
WHEREAS paid sick leave allows parents to care for their sick children, resulting in a faster recovery for
the child and a reduction in job turnover among working parents; and
WHEREAS as of 2009, Michigan had more than 1,440,000 family caregivers, providing more than 1,380
million hours of unpaid care for adult or elderly family members, according to the Eldercare Workforce
Alliance; and
WHEREAS when workers utilize paid sick leave to care for adult and elderly family members with chronic
and acute medical problems, employee loyalty and productivity increases, while job turnover is reduced;
and
WHEREAS the expansion of paid sick leave with the integration of family caregiving responsibilities would
provide crucial assistance to working families and support the overall improvement of health conditions
for workers, their families, and employers throughout Oakland County communities; and
WHEREAS Senate Bill 101 and House Bill 4167 would require employers provide earned, paid sick leave
to full-time and part-time employees when personal illness or incapacity prevents them from working or
requires them to care for a child or elderly parent; and
WHEREAS employers would offer one hour of sick leave for every 30 hours an employee works; paid sick
leave accrues in 1-hour increments up to 40 hours per calendar year for small business; and 72 hours for
all other employees; and
WHEREAS specific conditions for accruing and using the paid sick leave are identified, without a cash
payout required when an employee leaves employment; and
WHEREAS enacting this legislation will ensure employees have a right to care for themselves and their
loved ones when sick, without the difficult decision of choosing between their personal or family health
and a paycheck.
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Oakland County Board of Commissioners hereby
supports the passage of Senate Bill 101 and House Bill 4167 — Paid Sick Leave Act - for employers to
provide earned paid sick leave to certain employees, full-time and part-time, when personal illness or
incapacity or family member's illness is such that they are not able to work.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Oakland County Clerk/Register of Deeds is directed to submit a
copy of this resolution to the Board's legislative lobbyists, the Office of the Governor, Senate Majority
Leader, Senate Minority Leader, Speaker of the House, House Minority Leader and the Oakland County
delegation to the Michigan Legislature.
Chairperson, I move the adoption of the foregoing Resolution.
(1070L,(Le.
Commissioner
District*
Commissioner
District #
Commissioner
District* (
Commissioner
District it
Commissioner
District #
Commissioner
District #
Commissioner
District #
Commissioner
District #
Commissioner
District*
Commissioner
District *
Commissioner
District #
Commissioner
District #
Commissioner
District*
Commissioner
District #
Commissioner
District #
Commissioner
District #
Commissioner
District
Commissioner
District #
•-ComrhiSsioner Janet Jacks
—District *21
Resolution #15259 October 7, 2015
The Chairperson referred the resolution to the General Government Committee. There were no objections.