Another step forward in the fight for workplace flexibility—and this one comes from the U.S. Department of Labor. Recently, the DOL announced its ruling that requires paid sick leave for the employees of federal contractors.
Executive Order 13706, Establishing Paid Sick Leave for Federal Contractors, compels federal contractors to provide paid sick leave for their employees. The ruling gives employees up to seven days of paid sick leave per year.
According to the DOL’s news release, “For American workers whose employers do not provide paid sick leave, taking time off to go to the doctor can mean missing out on wages or running the risk of getting fired.”
The DOL offers instances of when employees might need to take paid sick leave, and must be granted it by employers. Such examples include:
Illness
A physical or mental illness, injury, or medical condition.
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Receiving Care
Getting a diagnosis, being in the care of, or receiving preventive care from a health care provider.
Caretaking
Being a caregiver for a child, parent, spouse, domestic partner, or “any or any other individual related by blood or affinity whose close association with the employee is the equivalent of a family relationship who has any of the conditions or needs for diagnosis, care, or preventive care described in (i) or (ii) or is otherwise in need of care.”
Domestic Abuse Victims
Being the victim of domestic violence, sexual assault, or even stalking. Paid sick leave would apply if the employee were receiving services such as counseling, relocation, or needed to take legal action.
The DOL’s stance on paid sick leave is truly exciting, as it shows employers the importance of providing sick leave for employees.
Employees will now no longer have to take unpaid days off—or worse, potentially run the risk of losing their jobs—for certain medical issues.
Further, this executive order will hopefully ensure that employers (in this case, federal contractors) will be more sympathetic to the personal needs of their employees, who may be facing difficult circumstances that could otherwise affect their productivity at work.
Executive Order 13706 opens the door for honest communication between employers and employees and will help keep workers in their jobs as they tackle tough times.
Readers, do you offer (or are you planning to offer) a flexible work policy to your employees? If not, does this latest ruling affect your decision? Let us know in the comments below!
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