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By Leah Valencia, University of New Mexico- Talk Radio News Service

Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.) urged Congress Tuesday to consider legislation that would mandate paid sick leave for employees with the H1N1 virus.

“Paid sick days have always been a good and common sense idea, but in light of the recent H1N1 epidemic it has also become a necessary one,” DeLauro said while testifying to the Senate Health, Education and Labor Pensions Committee.

According to the Department of Labor and Statistics, only one in four low wage workers have access to paid sick days. These employees often work jobs that require frequent contact with the public. Adding to the problem is the fact that many workers go into work when sick in order to maintain the income they need.

“This isn’t just a workers’ rights issue, it’s a public health emergency,” said Sen. Christopher Dodd (D-Conn.). “Families should not have to choose between staying healthy and making ends meet.”

DeLauro worked with the late Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.) earlier this year to push the Healthy Families Act, a bill that would mandate employers to guarantee employees one hour off for every 30 hours worked, allowing employees to earn up to seven sick days a year. Such a bill is necessary now, said DeLauro.

HELP Committee Ranking member Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.) said legislation that forced employers to provide paid sick days would be detrimental to small businesses that are already struggling to retain employees during economic hardships.

“Many employers are not able to maintain current payrolls, which is evidenced by the rise in unemployment,” Enzi said. “If this bill is enacted, employers will adjust somewhere either by reducing current healthcare... or by downsizing their number of employees.”

Many Republicans shared similar concerns when DeLauro and Kennedy urged passage of the bill in May. Dodd argued that given the current spread of H1N1, the bill is necessary now.

“If paid sick leave had been a reality when this pandemic began, we would be in better shape,” Dodd said. “I want it in place immediately to help parents and workers.”