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Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf called on the state’s Legislature to take action and pass legislation to provide paid sick and family leave that workers deserve.

Gov. Wolf believes that enacting such a law is necessary now more than ever because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The health risks associated with the pandemic is too high. Workers shouldn’t go through the difficulty of choosing between losing a day’s wage and going to work ill, putting other people’s health at risk.

Pennsylvania workers can use paid sick and family leave to recover from sickness, to go to their medical appointment, or to care for a loved one.

In a statement, Gov. Wolf said, “It’s time for the General Assembly to stand up for Pennsylvania’s workers and protect the health of all Pennsylvanians.” He noted that there are many proposed bills on paid sick and family leave that are pending in the legislature. He is committed to working with the state’s lawmakers to finally provide workers with the paid leave they deserve.

“Pennsylvania workers have waited long enough, and the pandemic has made the need for paid sick leave more urgent. All employees should have healthy and safe workplaces,” added Gov. Wolf.

Several Pennsylvania lawmakers including Senators Maria Collett support Gov. Wolf’s goal to enact legislation providing paid sick and family leave to workers.

A majority (80%) of Pennsylvanians don’t have any form of paid leave

Sen. Collett is a sponsor of SB 580, the Family Care Act to establish a statewide Family and Medical Leave Insurance Program, which will be administered by the Pennsylvania Department of Labor.

“Even before COVID hit, Pennsylvania’s families were in trouble. As a prime sponsor of SB 580, the Family Care Act, I was painfully aware that more than 80% of hardworking Pennsylvanians had no form of paid leave to care for themselves or a sick loved one without fear of losing their jobs,” said Sen. Collett.

“Over the past few months, we’ve been putting Band-aids on bullet holes to help families and small businesses try to survive. But bigger, systemic changes are required, and I am glad to see Governor Wolf stepping up and supporting programs like paid leave that is both widely supported and long overdue,” she added.

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