Senate approves paid sick leave bill

By: News Staff

Email: news@abc6.com

Twitter: @ABC6

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WLNE) — The Senate passed a bill Wednesday evening that would guarantee paid sick days for most employees.

The Senate voted 27 to 8 Wednesday to ensure that companies with 11 or more employees guarantee paid sick time.

Workers will get at least four sick days come next year. By 2019, that would increase to five sick days.

However, opponents say this would burden companies that already have paid time off policies and also hurt small businesses that cannot afford it.

Some companies also think employees would use the sick days as vacation days and end up using them simply because they can.

“We don’t have a sick leave policy but if you ask my employees they wouldn’t want one. What we have for a benefits package is what attracts them and keeps them here,” said Don Nokes, president of NetCenergy.

Senate Majority Whip Maryellen Goodwin, who backed the bill, says the legislation ensure that most workers in the state can take care of basic needs without trading one problem for another.

©WLNE-TV / ABC6 2017