SEATTLE -- Seattle appears poised to require businesses to offer paid sick leave to their employees.
On Monday, the Seattle City Council will vote on legislation which will require businesses to provide paid sick leave to employees. Six council members, a majority, said they supported the proposal in a statement issued last Thursday.
Currently, 190,000 workers in Seattle don't get paid sick leave. Many of them work in restaurants, at grocery stores and medical centers.
The legislation would mandate all businesses with at least 5 full-time employees provide five days of paid sick leave. Businesses with 50 to 249 workers must provide at least a week. And businesses with 250 workers and more must pay at least nine days a year. Victims of domestic violence would also be entitled to sick days.
Businesses less than two-years-old would be exempt. There would be a six-month waiting period before workers could start using their accrued paid time off. Supporters, like Council member Nick Licata who wrote the bill, said the law is good for public health.
"I think this legislation does have enough teeth. It's still flexible enough to attract good businesses. This legislation or similar legislation has been in San Francisco now for two years and studies compared to outside areas that don't have legislation show San Francisco is actually doing better."
But some businesses worry it could hurt their bottom line. Others like Peter Glick at Roxy's Diner in Seattle don't believe a mandate is the way to go, but instead a voluntary program with city guidelines.
"Healthy workers make better employees," said Glick, who provides two weeks of paid vacation and medical emergency.
If passed the new law would go into a effect in a year.
The vote is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. Monday.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
