SEATTLE (AP) — Seattle is poised to follow the state of Connecticut and the cities of San Francisco and Washington, D.C., in requiring businesses to offer paid sick leave to their workers.
The City Council voted 8-1 Monday to approve a measure mandating that companies with at least five workers provide at least five paid sick days a year. The biggest companies would have to offer up to nine days. Victims of domestic violence would also be entitled to time off to assist law enforcement or attend court hearings.
Supporters say the law promotes public health since workers who don’t have paid sick days are more likely to come to work when they or their relatives are ill. They said as many as 190,000 workers in Seattle do not get paid sick leave.
