The Portland City Council  approved unanimously  a measure today to allow employees to earn paid sick time off. 

Oregon Live reports :

Under the ordinance approved Wednesday, private employers in Portland will have to give employees up to 40 hours of sick leave each year. Employees will earn one hour of sick leave for every 30 hours worked. They also will need to work at least 240 hours a year to qualify. Businesses with at least six employees will have to offer paid time off, while smaller companies can provide unpaid leave.

According to the Center for Economic and Policy Research, more than  40 million Americans  work in jobs where they have no access to paid sick days. In addition to the potential loss of wages and jobs for working families, the lack of paid sick days forces many people to go to work when they are contagious and get co-workers and customers sick and decreases productivity for workers who show up unable to perform to their normal level of ability. 

The National Partnership for Women & Families reports :

Across demographic and political backgrounds, the public overwhelmingly supports a law that would guarantee paid sick days to all workers. Fully three-quarters (75%) favor a law providing a “minimum number” of paid sick days for all workers. 

 Across the United States in a number of states and cities, workers are mobilizing to pass earned paid sick leave ordinances in their communities. Paid sick days campaigns or legislation exist in Arizona, California, Colorado, District of Columbia, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Miami, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York City, New York, North Carolina, Orange County (Fla.), Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Portland (Ore.), Vermont, Washington State and Wisconsin.

Read more:  More and More Workers Demanding Paid Sick Days .