Since paid sick days for San Francisco employees became mandatory in February 2007, percentage growth in civilian employment growth exceeded the average growth for the surrounding California counties of Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, San Mateo and Santa Clara, according to a fact sheet from the Institute for Women's Policy Research.
This increase represents a civilian employment growth by 4.5 percent, versus 0.4 percent in surrounding counties, between 2007 and 2008. San Francisco has also faced fewer job losses during the recession, and between 2009 and 2010, the city even experienced job growth at 0.6 percent. However, there was no measurable job growth in the surrounding counties.
"These increases in employment indicate that mandatory paid sick days are not harmful to local economies, but, instead, paid sick days laws help maintain the well-being of workers and their families," says Kevin Miller, senior research associate with IWPR. "Even counties with high-tech communities, such as Santa Clara, saw less job growth than San Francisco after the city's paid sick days law was enacted."
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For the accommodation and food services, which typically have low rates paid sick days, San Francisco's employment growth was stronger under the city's paid sick leave regulation, with job growth hitting 3.1 percent, as opposed to the surrounding counties 1.4 percent, between 2007 and 2008.
Recently, many states, localities and even U.S. Congress have considered paid sick days ordinances. Connecticut and Washington, D.C., for example have both approved paid sick days legislation, and two-thirds of San Francisco employers that are under the city's law are supportive of it.
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