I-1433: Illness does not wait until we have access to paid sick leave

As a father of two, going to work sick because I cannot afford to miss a day is a reality I live. Neither my wife nor I have sick-and-safe leave.

I am a forklift driver for a company in Kent, and my wife’s employer cut many of her benefits, including sick-and-safe leave. If we get sick, we will either lose income by missing work or go to work sick and possibly spread illness to our coworkers. These are decisions that many people in Kent have to make as well as those across the state and the country.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one in five workers go to work sick because they are afraid to lose their job. We have a chance to make things right on Nov. 8, Election Day. Initiative 1433, which is on the ballot, will lift more than 730,000 Washingtonians out of poverty and improve public health.

I immigrated from Honduras more than 20 years ago where I was heavily involved in my community. I recognize the power the community has to make changes when we come together to improve the quality of life. I take action by sharing my story, talking to my friends, family and neighbors and informing everyone who will listen to support Initiative 1433.

Initiative 1433 will make it mandatory for employers to provide paid sick-and-safe leave to all of their workers. Employees would begin accruing sick leave immediately and can start using them after the 19th day of employment. Initiative 1433 also includes a public safety clause that provides workers the use of paid sick days for domestic violence and assault situations.

According to city data, the median household income for the Latino community is $35,000. About half of a family’s income is used to pay housing so families can’t run the risk of losing a day’s pay to recover from an illness. This could potentially make a health issue worse.

Additionally, more than half of the students within the Kent School District rely on school lunches for food. That shows the delicate balance of finances for parents. It’s yet another reason why missing work is often not an option without paid leave.

Passing this initiative on the November ballot would mean families in our community will have enough to eat, be able to take time off when sick and spend more time at home with their families.

Our Kent community can’t wait any longer. We need to take steps to lift families out of poverty by passing Initiative 1433 which raises the minimum wage and provides paid sick days for everyone.

– Luis Enrique Guzman is a Kent resident and a member of Washington Community Action Network, a statewide grassroots organization with more than 40,000 members statewide.