Although paid leave benefits are the most widely available benefits offered by employers, it doesn't mean employees have a guarantee. The Bureau of Labor Statistics' National Compensation Survey shows some disparities in leave benefits.
For example, most full-time workers can plan a getaway thanks to their employer, but getting paid when you're sick is more of a problem. According to the Labor Bureau, 91 percent of full-time workers (and 37 percent of part-time workers) in the private industry receive paid vacations, but paid sick leave is less prevalent, available only to 75 percent of full-time workers and 27 percent of part-time workers.
Income disparities were also present: Paid vacations were available to 90 percent of workers earning wages in the highest 10th percent of private industry employees, but to only 38 percent of workers in the lowest 10 percent of private industry wage earners. Access to paid sick leave benefits ranged from 21 percent for the lowest wage category to 87 percent for the highest wage category.
Statistics also uncovered much preferable benefits for state and local government workers compared to regular private industry employees. Nearly 9 out of 10 state and local government workers have access to paid sick leave. Government workers also fare better when it comes to medical care benefits (available to 87 percent of them compared to 69 percent of private industry workers), retirement benefits (90 percent compared to 67 percent of industry workers) and unmarried domestic partner benefits (50 percent compared to 7 percent of industry workers).
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