Will Efforts to Halt Spread of Swine Flu Be Hampered By U.S. Sick Leave Policy?

As part of their effort to contain the spread of the strain of swine flu that has reportedly killed at least 149 people in Mexico, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control is advising Americans who feel sick with flu-like symptoms to avoid public places and stay home from work or school. Parents are advised to keep sick children out of schools and daycare centers until they have been symptom-free for at least 48 hours.

But with no federal regulations requiring employers to grant their employees paid sick leave, many American workers may find it difficult to take such advice. Due to exemptions for part-time employees and employees of small businesses, only about half of all working Americans are even eligible for unpaid medical leave under the federal Family and Medical Leave Act.

In contrast, worldwide, 145 other countries mandate that employers provide their employees with some sort of paid sick leave or emergency medical leave; the United States has one of the least generous medical leave policies in the industrialized world, ranking 21st among industrialized nations. 

Low-income, hourly wage workers like retail store employees, restaurant wait staff, and child care center workers — some of the very people most in contact with the public on a daily basis as an integral part of their jobs — are among those least likely to have paid sick leave, or even the ability to take unpaid days off to recuperate from illness or care for their children without seriously risking their employment. What will these workers do if they or their children become ill, and they are forced to choose between having enough money for rent and food, or following the CDC guidelines?  

MomsRising recently posted about the potential negative impact of U.S. sick leave policy on government efforts to control the spread of the swine flu, and has created an online petition asking the U.S. government create new legislation to require employers to allow their employees time off for legitimate health emergencies in the interests of public health.

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[Sujan Patricia]

H1N1 (referred to as “swine flu” early on) is a new influenza virus causing illness in people. Symptoms of swine flu are similar to those caused by other influenza viruses. Health authorities across the globe are taking steps to try to stem the spread of swine flu after outbreaks in Mexico and the United States. The World Health Organization has called it a "public health emergency of international concern."