Welcome! - We're a coalition of over 60 local advocates, community organizations, labor unions, businesses, policy makers, doctors, researchers and policy and data experts working in collaboration to educate the public and policymakers about paid sick leave.: Jump to: Search, Content, Nav
August 30, 2010
U.S. Women's Chamber of Commerce Supports Paid Sick Days!
“The U.S.Women’s Chamber of Commerce supports a minimum standard for paid sick days. Healthy businesses need healthy workers, which is precisely what paid sick days accomplish. Women-run businesses are on the forefront by typically offering such benefits because they understand the needs of working women and their families. Paid sick days are an investment in our families, our workforce, and our health that we cannot afford to do without.” Margot Dorfman, CEO,Women’s Chamber of Commerce. TAKE ACTION: E-mail Andrea Lindemann at the Center for Law and Social Policy; alindemann@clasp.org to add your business’s name to a letter to Congress supporting the national paid sick days bill, The Healthy Families Act (just include your business name and location in the subject line). Or e-mail Ellen Wallace at the Mass Paid Leave Coalition; ewallace@gbls.org to add your business's name to Massachusetts businesses that support of the state Paid Sick Days Act.
August 25, 2010
It's Enough to Make You Sick
The Paid Sick Days Act would have required employers to give employees at least seven paid sick days, which could have been used for themselves or to care for a family member. The bill had been endorsed by the Legislature's Committee on Labor and Workforce Development but died in the Ways and Means Committee.
Aug. 4, 2010
Unhealthy Coverage
The Herald’s two days of articles against paid sick leave claim that a pending bill would be bad for business and lead to abuse (“ ‘Nuff to make you sick,” July 26 and “Putting recovery at risk,” July 27). Research says otherwise.

More Headlines

Stay up to date with our newsletter. Just enter your email address below!


Contact your State Legislators to tell them this legislation is important to you!

  • Look up your State Legislators
  • E-mail your State Senator
  • E-mail your State Representative
  • Call the Massachusetts State House and ask for your Representative and/or Senator: (617) 722-2000
  • E-mail the Governor or call his office and tell him this legislation is important to you (617)725-4005 or 888.870.7770 (in state)

Get Involved in the 2011-2012 Legislative Session!

See more pictures...

Lilly Ledbetter, Vicki Kennedy and Governor Patrick Speak Out in Support of Paid Sick Days

The Massachusetts Paid Leave Coalition had a rally for paid sick days. Lilly Ledbetter related her struggle for equal pay with the struggle of workers everywhere in Massachusetts for paid sick days. She talked about how this bill is about fairness and economic security. Victoria Reggie Kennedy, widow of the late Senator Ted Kennedy, talked about paid sick days being a common-sense policy. Governor Deval Patrick appeared in strong support of paid sick days and urged all of the legislators in the room to vote for the Paid Sick Days Bill. The two lead sponsors, Sen. Jehlen and Rep. Khan advocated for the need for the bill. Mary Tillman, a personal care attendant, talked about how difficult it has been to work for over 30 years without any paid sick days. Employers, Rob Everts and Dolph Vanderpol, also spoke about how paid sick days helped their businesses. Joining the rally was Angela Menino, the First Lady of Boston, who gave an impassioned plea for paid sick days as did the Executive Director of the Boston Public Health Commission, Dr. Barbara Ferrer. She astounded the crowd with the number of families affected by the flu because they were not able to stay home for fear of losing their jobs.

All of these terrific speakers were introduced and welcomed by moderator, Bob Haynes, President of the Massachusetts AFL-CIO, who did a brilliant job of bringing it all together. 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
THE WHITE HOUSE WANTS YOU TO BE PART oF THE CONVERSATION ABOUT WORKPLACE FLEXIBILITY IN YOUR COMMUNITY!
Click on the box below to find out how you can join or host an event in your neighborhood. 

"Workplace flexibility isn’t just a women’s issue.  It’s an issue that affects the well-being of our families and the success of our businesses.  It affects the strength of our economy – whether we’ll create the workplaces and jobs of the future that we need to compete in today’s global economy."
--President Barack Obama
Picture of White House logo; "Start a conversation in your community on workplace flexibility"

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
JUNE 22, 2010: MOMS RISING DELIVERS SAN-O-GRAMS TO MEMBERS OF HOUSE WAYS AND MEANS COMMITTEE AND SPEAKER DELEO
Moms Rising delivers San-O-Grams to Members of House Ways & Means Committee
Mom's Rising visits House Ways & Means Committee members  and Speaker Deleo to ask them to send Paid Sick Days bill to floor for a vote.



Massachusetts Paid Leave Coalition “Coalition” directed by Greater Boston Legal Services in collaboration with the Massachusetts AFL-CIO and the Jewish Alliance for Law and Social Action is a coalition of over 60 local advocates, community organizations, labor unions, businesses, policy makers, doctors, researchers and policy and data experts working in collaboration to educate the public and policymakers about the critical need for policies that provide all workers with access to paid leave, specifically paid sick days, which help low-wage workers stay employed, build assets, and enhance the well-being of their children and families.  Find out more about us...

The Massachusetts Paid Leave Coalition is a founding member of the Family Values @ Work consortium, a group of fourteen states involved in a national movement of grassroots state coalitions and policy experts fighting for paid time to care.  For more information on FVAW’s advocacy for paid sick days and paid family leave insurance, please visit www.familyvaluesatwork.org.