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D.C. Dispatches by Cynthia Dizikes

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    Franken co-sponsors H1N1 sick-leave bill

    By Cynthia Dizikes | Published Wed, Nov 18 2009 3:46 pm

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Sen. Al Franken, D-Minn., co-sponsored legislation Wednesday that would guarantee up to seven days of paid sick leave for U.S. workers infected by the H1N1 virus.

    “We know that staying home is the best way to combat the spread of the H1N1 virus,” Franken said in a statement. “And in this tough economy, we know folks can’t get by without a paycheck.”

    Under the bill, which would sunset after two years, workers would be given paid leave for their own illness or to take care of a sick child or child whose school has been closed due to H1N1.  Medical certification could be required through regulation by the Department of Labor, according to Franken.

    The senator’s announcement followed a House hearing Tuesday where Rep. John Kline, R-Minn., advised Congress to be mindful of the unintended consequences of such legislation. In prepared testimony, Kline raised a few points of concern, including how the new requirements would interact with existing policies and whether notification or certification would be required.

    Washington Bureau | Wed, Nov 18 2009 3:46 pm | Comment

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    minnpost.com/cynthiadizikes


    Cynthia Dizikes is MinnPost's Washington, D.C., correspondent and covers Minnesota's congressional delegation and reports on developments out of Washington that are important to Minnesota readers. She received her master's degree in journalism from UC Berkeley and has worked as an intern in the Los Angeles Times' Washington bureau, reporting on a variety of topics, and as a reporter for the Anniston Star in Alabama. Her work has also appeared in the San Francisco Chronicle, the Oakland Tribune, Congress Daily and on National Public Radio. She can be reached at cdizikes [at] minnpost [dot] com.

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