OP-ED | Paid Sick Days Is A Matter Of Human Dignity
by Paula Broderick | Apr 8, 2011 10:13am
(7) Comments | Commenting has expired
Posted to: Opinion
For several years now, the legislature has been debating a proposal to allow workers to earn paid sick days. Often, the debate circling around the issue has been primarily one of dollars and cents: does it cost more to businesses or put more money in the pockets of workers? How much does an outbreak of food-borne illness cost a restaurant? Or our healthcare system?
However, I ask that our lawmakers do not forget that, at its core, the issue of paid sick days is an issue of basic human dignity, not just the bottom line.
Years ago, I was working in the human resources department at a Connecticut hospital, when the boyfriend I was living with escalated his abusive behaviors. When he started threatening my daughter, I knew we had to leave. He caught me packing a bag and getting ready to move out, he raped and assaulted me and held me captive and naked for three days. When I was finally able to flee, I sought refuge in the Prudence Crandall Safe House.
When I escaped, I was in bad shape. I had been raped; I had bruises around my neck, and a ruptured ear drum. The next day, I called out sick to seek medical care and a restraining order. Because I didn’t have paid sick days, I lost income at a time in my life when I desperately needed financial resources. It got worse. By the end of the week, I had lost my job as a direct result of the days of work I missed.
Since then, I spent three years as a Shelter Advocate at the Prudence Crandall Center, and I learned that, tragically, my story isn’t unique. Women who are the victims of rape or assault are often plunged further into dire straits by losing pay or losing their jobs. That simply isn’t right.
The lack of paid sick days affects women most acutely. Women are more likely to work in jobs that lack paid sick days. At the same time, women remain the primary caregivers in most families.
Women who flee from domestic violence are often dealing with serious economic instability already. Losing wages or losing a job while dealing with the effects of being abused or seeking a restraining order only exacerbates their suffering. And of course, children suffer as well from the loss of financial stability that affects their mothers.
Having a few paid sick days wouldn’t have prevented the horror of my situation. But it would have helped me hold on to financial security during my recovery, and keeping my job would have allowed me to retain some measure of security and dignity as I rebuilt my life.
A day or two’s pay isn’t much. But in the worst moments of our lives, that can make all the difference in the world.
New research demonstrates that the impact of providing paid sick days on a company is minimal. But for people who need them most, the impact cannot be measured. Being sexually assaulted should not lead inevitably to financial ruin.
I urge the legislature to act quickly to pass the paid sick days bill and send it to Governor Malloy’s desk.
Paula Broderick is the Prevention Education Coordinator for the Sexual Assault Crisis Service of the YWCA New Britain.
Tags: paid sick days, domestic violence, legislature
(7) Comments
posted by: magpiedav | April 8, 2011 12:49pm
I can’t believe we have legislators in this state willing to claim that the whining of their chambers of commerce over a few pennies is more important than this woman’s story. I support legislators who stand up for PEOPLE instead of CORPORATIONS. This law needs to pass.
posted by: Lawncherub | April 8, 2011 1:01pm
What a powerful story. Thank you for sharing this. I hope CT legislators take this to heart and pass the paid sick days bill this year. In the end it will help everyone, our communities and businesses too. Thank you.
posted by: hawkeye | April 8, 2011 4:10pm
Paula Broderick: I must question your stated: “New research demonstrates that the impact of providing paid sick days on a company is minimal.”
Who conducted the NEW RESEARCH, and how were the findings verified?
“The impact is not minimal, if it puts a company over the edge, and forces it out of business!”
posted by: Tessa Marquis | April 8, 2011 5:32pm
Terrible. Awful. Yet extremely Factual and told in a level manner
Thank you for your bravery, for carrying on, and for speaking out.
You are representing many who cannot afford to tell similar stories. It is financial need that keeps many people imprisoned in dangerous situations like the life you left. Congratulations for saving your own life.
posted by: CitizenCT | April 9, 2011 9:38am
Ms. Broderick, you say, “the legislature has been debating a proposal to allow workers to earn paid sick days”. Paid sick days are already allowed. No one prevents an employer for offering them and many do. When evaluating an employment opportunity, one must weigh the value of pay and benefits including paid sick days. If this is an important benefit to your work/life balance, factor this into your job search and choices you make.
posted by: magpiedav | April 9, 2011 2:43pm
hawkeye and CitizenCT: shame on you. Your comments are insensitive to say the least.
“If this is an important benefit to your work/life balance, factor this into your job search and choices you make. ” Really? Paula should have factored her rape and beatings into her job search?
Your ‘free market’ agenda is getting in the way of your humanity. Some things are basic rights and we need to decide as a society to treat people with basic decency.
posted by: saramerica | April 10, 2011 10:37am
” If this is an important benefit to your work/life balance, factor this into your job search and choices you make.”
Unbelievable. Listen to yourself. You’re blaming Ms. Broderick? She “chose” to be beaten and raped because she was leaving an unhealthy relationship to protect her daughter? She was trying to make the RIGHT and healthy choice and was penalized financially because of it. And when you’re looking for a job, you don’t go into it thinking: “Well, I better make sure they have paid sick days in case I date some sick bastard who might beat the crap out of me if I decided to leave him.” I hate to break it to you CitizenCT, but women don’t usually go into relationships ASSUMING that they will be victimized. We like to think that men will be behave like civilized human beings. Unfortunately, this is all too often not the case.