The ability to take paid sick days does more than boost your health — it can buoy your financial security, too.
Employees without paid sick benefits — of which there are 34.2 million in the private sector — are three times more likely to have family incomes below the poverty line, according to research from Florida Atlantic University and Cleveland State University published in Social Work in Health Care.
When workers lacking paid leave take off time to care for their health — or the health of a loved one — they experience a double financial penalty: Their wages dip while their health care costs increase. “It’s at the exact same moment when you’re losing your pay — you have increased demand on your paycheck to pay for things like a doctor’s visit and a prescription,” says Patricia Stoddard Dare, the study’s co-author and associate professor of social work at Cleveland State.
[See: 10 Easy Ways to Pay Off Debt.]
Workers without sick leave may find themselves making an impossible choice: Prioritize their physical health by taking unpaid time off or prioritize their financial health by working while sick.
Paid sick leave “is a key protection against economic insecurity,” says Vicki Shabo, vice president for workplace policies and strategies at the National Partnership for Women & Families. “When workers have no choice but to go to work sick and have no paid sick days, they lose money that goes toward groceries, transportation and health care expenses.”
So what can you do if you work for an employer that doesn’t offer paid sick leave benefits? Here’s how to protect your finances and negotiate for better benefits.
Create a financial safety net. If you don’t have paid sick leave benefits, make sure you’re using all the financial safeguards available to you. “If you know that you’re working in a place or company or state that does not have paid sick leave, [know] what are your options and how do you protect yourself,” says Saundra Davis, a financial coach and financial behavior specialist in San Francisco.
For example, if you’re eligible for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, government-supported health care benefits and other state-specific or federal financial support, sign up. “Whatever public benefits you are eligible for, get them,” Davis says.
Saving money through government programs may free up some extra cash, which you should funnel into an emergency fund. That rainy day savings account will help cover unexpected doctor visits and unpaid time away from work, and it can also tide you over while you’re awaiting insurance payouts. Be aware that building assets may impact your eligibility for some public benefits, Davis says.
[See: How to Build an Emergency Fund.]
Don’t forget to look into buying disability insurance, Davis says. It’s an often-overlooked form of insurance, but it may protect you if an unexpected illness or accident prevents you from working.
Negotiate for better benefits. Depending on your employer, you may be able to negotiate for paid sick leave, especially if you’re working for a smaller employer or franchise, says Victoria Pynchon, consultant at She Negotiates, a consulting firm that trains women to negotiate compensation. If you’re working for a large company, don’t despair: Consider bringing your concerns to middle managers who can run your message up the chain of command, Pynchon says.
You’ll typically need to be a valued employee to position yourself well for negotiation, Pynchon notes. Frame the argument for paid sick leave around the fact that it will benefit your employer, not just yourself or other employees. “Find out what the person you’re negotiating with needs, fears, desires,” Pynchon says. “That’s what’s going to move your negotiation partner.”
For example, you could say, “Jeanie came to work sick, and we had three complaints that day from customers when she wiped her nose with her fist and was delivering a hamburger,” Pynchon says.
Or you could mention that your flu-afflicted colleague working the cash register has customers running for the door. You could point out that the company spends millions of marketing dollars on advertising, which can be erased by a customer’s off-putting experience with a feverish worker.
“We need to know we’re powerful and have options,” Pynchon says. “And if we work together and promote our interests in line with interests of our employer, everyone will benefit.”
[Read: How to Negotiate Your Medical Bills.]
Find a new job. It’s easier said than done, but if negotiating won’t work, scoring a gig that offers paid sick leave benefits is the most direct way to protect yourself from the double whammy of lost pay and increased medical bills.
“Don’t be afraid to get a new job,” Stoddard Dare says. “The economy is getting stronger.”
When applying, remember to ask potential employers about the existence of paid sick leave benefits, and make sure you’d be working for a boss who supports your ability to take days to recuperate or care for a sick child or family member.
Advocate as a voter. Even if you don’t work for a company that withholds paid sick leave benefits, you can advocate for your peers who are toiling without.
Today, 10 states, the District of Columbia and 33 jurisdictions have paid sick day laws on the books. If your state or community doesn’t offer these benefits or you want to advocate at a national level, ask your representatives for additional paid sick leave mandates. Consider pressuring politicians to support measures such as the Healthy Families Act, which would allow eligible workers in businesses with 15 or more employees to earn up to seven paid sick days each year.
Support paid sick leave as a consumer. Commit to spending your dollars at companies that provide paid sick leave benefits. “There is consumer activism that can happen,” Shabo says, “whether it’s boycotting restaurants, for example, that are known for not providing paid sick time or mobilizing to support those that do.”
For example, if you’re looking for a day care for your child or a nursing home for your parent, ask whether the provider offers paid sick leave to its employees. If it doesn’t, choose another one. “Demand that the workers have paid sick leave, so that your children and loved ones are not exposed [to illness],” Stoddard Dare says.
Use your spending habits to encourage change, and spend your retail dollars at stores and restaurants where you know employees have paid sick leave benefits — ask managers and business owners about it when you can. “The business world is cued into this topic, and employers are paying attention,” Stoddard Dare says. “In the end, “I think this is going to wind up being a consumer movement.”
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Why Paid Sick Leave Is Important for Your Financial (and Physical) Health originally appeared on usnews.com
