Everyone gets sick, but not everyone has time to get better.

No one should be forced to choose between risking their paycheck and caring for loved ones or themself. Nearly 28 million people — nearly one in five private sector workers — can’t earn a single paid sick day.

Paid sick and safe days allow workers to take brief periods of time away from work they need to attend to their and their family's health. To date, 15 states and many more cities and counties across the country have passed paid sick days laws allowing workers to take time to attend doctor's appointments, pick up sick children from school, accommodate public health emergencies, and businesses or school closures, all with job-protected time they accrue. Many laws also include paid safe days that allow survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault and/or stalking to seek services related to these incidents.

That's why the National Partnership supports the federal Healthy Families Act, which would provide all eligible workers with seven paid sick days to recover from illness, access preventive care, or care for a sick family member.