Massachusetts Paid Leave Coalition

Stories

Every Picture Tells a Story

Paid sick time keeps everyone healthier, by Deborah Knight Snyder
"This is a true story. When my youngest son was in second grade, I was in his classroom one day, helping out as a volunteer, when I noticed that a little girl in his class appeared quite ill.  There was a substitute teacher in that day, and I pointed out that the girl should be sent to the nurse.  She agreed, and we sent the little girl off.  I hadn’t expected to see the little girl again, so I was surprised when, about 20 minutes later, she returned to the classroom.  I asked her what the nurse had said. She replied that the nurse wasn’t able to send her home because she didn’t have a temperature.  Somewhat taken aback, I asked her if the nurse had called her mother, because surely her mother would want to know her daughter is sick.  'She already knows I’m sick,' the little girl replied miserably.  'I threw up twice this morning before I got on the bus.'  Appalled?  I know I was.  I didn’t know this little girl or her family circumstances.  It’s virtually impossible to imagine what outside pressures could have compelled that mother to send an obviously sick child to school.  But she did. . . . The problem is, many people do not have the financial luxury of staying home when they or their child are sick. I have to believe that was the case with my son’s second-grade classmate. This country is chock-full of workers who have no sick leave and who can’t afford to miss a day’s pay."  Read Deborah's story.