Bezahlte Krankheitstage" translates to "paid sick days" in
English.
Angelika In the last Rundbrief 04/2007 I reported that San Francisco was the first city in America to ban plastic bags. But San Francisco is not only ahead in terms of environmental protection, but also when it comes to social achievements. Since February of this year, everyone working in San Francisco must be paid for sick days. San Francisco is once again the first city in America to legally mandate paid sick leave at the local level. There are no binding legal regulations on this matter at the national level in America. It is estimated that almost half of full-time employees in the USA (according to the press, about 57 million) do not receive a salary when they call in sick. Those most affected are people working in low-wage jobs, even though they can least afford the loss of income. Better companies generally grant paid sick days, with different models depending on the company. Some employers, for example, grant 1 to 2 days per month, which can be accumulated up to a certain maximum limit. Yahoo allows its employees short-term absences (a maximum of 5 consecutive days) due to their own illness or the illness of a family member (e.g., children) up to 5 times in 12 months. If an employee at Yahoo is sick for a longer period, the so-called "Short-Term Disability Insurance" kicks in, which is paid for by Yahoo for the employees. Other companies do not differentiate between vacation, illness, or absence due to doctor visits. The employee receives a so-called "Paid Time Off" account (Paid Time Off = paid absence), and they decide for themselves how to use the accumulated hours (vacation or illness). San Francisco's model works as follows: Everyone working in San Francisco (regardless of where the company is based) receives one paid hour of sick leave for every 30 hours worked. The accumulated time can be used for personal illnesses, necessary doctor visits, or caring for sick relatives or partners. It does not matter whether the employee is full-time, part-time, or temporarily employed. The same rules apply to workers without work permits and papers ("Undocumented Workers"). If you work for a small company (up to 10 full-time or part-time employees), you can accumulate up to 40 hours; otherwise, 72 hours. The hours do not expire at the end of the year, but once the maximum limit is reached (40 or 72 hours), no more hours accumulate until a sick leave occurs and the hours are reduced. After that, the account can grow again up to the limit. It sounds complicated, but honestly, it is well thought out. A cheer for San Francisco.
