St. Paul, Minn. – Yesterday afternoon the St. Paul City Council voted unanimously to enact an ordinance requiring employers to provide earned sick and safe time to their employees. The vote follows action by the Minneapolis City Council in May passing a similar policy.
State Rep. John Lesch (DFL – St. Paul), the chief author of the bill to extend this benefit statewide, released the following statement:
“I’m extremely proud of the leadership shown by the council over the past several months in developing and enacting a strong measure which will improve both the physical and economic health of families in St. Paul. I also tip my hat to the citizens working as part of a grassroots effort to make their voices heard in the face of powerful lobbying from special interests to put a stop to this effort, and later – once the community momentum was clear on this issue – to water the language down. Women and people of color will especially feel the positive impacts of this ordinance.
“Democrats, Republicans, and Independents alike all support sound policies like this, and it’s clear these benefits ought to be extended to all hard-working Minnesotans. Minnesotans shouldn’t face the difficult dilemma of choosing between getting well and getting a paycheck. With broad support like this, coupled with the established research showing this type of policy significantly improves public health, I’m confident that we can make this law in the state of Minnesota.
“The 2017 legislative session will be here before we know it. I look forward the work ahead to make this a reality statewide.”