As a Rhode Island resident, and member of 9to5, I thank the Rhode Island legislature for its work in passing the Temporary Caregiver Insurance bill. Thanks to the champions of the bill, Senator Gayle Goldin, Representative Elaine Coderre, and also the Senate President who strongly supported the bill into law.
TCI is a win-win law, not “lose-lose,” as indicated by a recent comment. How can any law so morally right be wrong? It values and supports working families and helps workers keep their jobs when needing to care for a sick family member, a new baby or for themselves because of personal illness. If you earn, for example, $40,000 a year, 64 cents a week will buy an insurance that allows up to four weeks leave at two-thirds regular pay — A very small investment for economic security when it’s most needed.
More than 70 percent of children in Rhode Island live in families with both parents working. The loss of income from a primary or co-breadwinner can have serious economic effects. Studies show that many bankruptcies occur when a worker misses two or more weeks of work due to illness. This can put a family on government assistance or eventually push it into poverty.
40 million American workers are not offered the opportunity to earn paid sick leave. As a result, many lose their jobs, and the economy loses, too. TCI is not a tax hike, but a slight increase to an insurance that will ensure economic security during difficult times.
Judy Belanger
9to5 Action Network
An excerpt from Judy’s letter was published in the online version of the Providence Journal on 7/24/13 and the full letter was published in the paper version on 7/27/13
