Making paid sick time the law helps families
With another school year underway, cold and flu season is just right around the corner. Our kids are sharing toys, learning in close quarters, and getting sick is practically unavoidable when these germs follow them home. Thanks to the Chicago City Council and county commissioners who took concrete steps this year to make paid sick time the law, working parents won’t have to worry about missing a day’s pay if they can’t go to work when their child is at home sick.
As of July 1, Chicago and Cook County now have paid sick time laws on the books, allowing all workers to earn paid sick days to use if they or a family member is sick. As a working single mom, I know firsthand how big a victory this is for workers with school- age kids.
Two years ago, when the polar vortex hit Chicago, my son’s school was closed because of a weather emergency. I had little notice of the school closure and couldn’t find child care for my son, so I had no choice but to stay home from work. The next day, I went into work to find out that I had been fired. It was devastating to lose my job over something that was largely out of my control. Now thanks to the new laws, part- time, full- time, hourly and salary workers can earn paid time off to use in instances like mine and not be afraid to lose their job.
While these laws are a great victory for workers, many Cook County suburbs with home rule authority have elected to opt out of the paid sick time laws, denying working people this important right. Workers, employers and elected officials need to continue working together to make paid sick time available for all workers across the region. Passing paid sick time laws at the state level would be a great way to achieve this. Rhiannon Broschat, Logan Square
Soda- tax ad insulting
No matter which side of the soda tax a person supports, one has to wonder about the tactics being employed to put forth a case. Unfortunately for the Cook County Board right now, a campaign that was to support their position has now come to border on the ridiculous.
In a continually running ad, a physician puts forth the case about children’s health as a result of ingesting the sugary drinks. However, at the beginning of the ad, she states that she sees obesity in children under the age of 5. Obviously, that is not a result of children run- ning out and purchasing can after can of sugary soda. If the child is obese, blame the parents, not the soda industry.
At what point are parents responsible for what their children eat and drink? The ad is insulting to anyone with an ounce of intelligence. Further, these drinks did not become a problem overnight. All of a sudden, sugar threatens our children’s health. Never mind that candy and sugar- sweetened cereals present the same health hazard. If Cook County wants to defend its position, let them do it logically and reasonably.
Daniel Pupo, Orland Park