The latest issue to face intense debate in the Missouri Senate is paid sick leave. HB 567, which would remove paid sick leave for workers, passed the Missouri House in March. Since then it has progressed through the Senate and is now eligible for discussion on the Senate floor. On Wednesday night, multiple Democratic Senators held the Senate floor in a filibuster that halted the bill’s progress. Their actions forced the bill’s sponsors to table it – at least temporarily. However, Senate leadership has made it clear that the bill is far from dead. Senate Majority Leader Cindy O’Laughlin stated last week that the Senate “will return to this in the next couple weeks,” signaling continued efforts to pass HB 567 before the 2025 legislative session ends on May 16th. Empower Missouri strongly opposes HB 567 and any efforts to remove paid sick leave for Missouri workers. Paid sick leave is a proven policy that fights poverty and supports Missouri families.
The Anti-Poverty Power of Paid Sick Leave
The evidence is clear: access to paid sick leave can make a significant difference in people’s lives, especially for low-income workers and their families. When workers are able to stay home while ill or caring for a loved one without risking their income, they’re better positioned to meet their basic needs and avoid long-term financial hardship. The research shows that this policy supports Missouri families and businesses:
- Significant Reduction in Food Insecurity: A study of New York’s paid leave policy showed an overall reduction of food insecurity of 36% and an even greater reduction of food insecurity among adults with no college education and low-income families.
- Improved Financial Stability: A 2021 survey of workers showed that workers without access to paid leave are more likely than workers with paid leave to experience financial and material hardships, including being more than twice as likely to be unable to pay for rent or utilities.
- Increased Access to Medical Care & Improved Health: The same survey of workers found that those without access to paid leave were more than twice as likely to report skipping needed medical care because they could not afford to take unpaid time off. The Missouri Budget Project estimated a 28% reduction in influenza-like illnesses from implementation of paid sick leave.
- Increased Productivity: El Missouri Budget project estimated that paid sick leave would lead to an 18% decrease in illness-related absenteeism and an estimated $35 million in health care savings for employers. They also estimated $104 million in savings due to a reduction in presenteeism, the phenomenon of workers coming to work when they are sick and unable to fully perform their job duties.
Missouri Voters Support Paid Sick Leave & Overwhelmingly Voted for It last November
Remarkably, lawmakers are considering removing paid sick days only 5 months after voters decisively passed the ballot initiative requiring it. Proposition A, the ballot initiative that included an increased minimum wage and paid sick leave, passed with 57.6% of the vote in the November 2024 election. To roll back a key component of a voter-approved ballot initiative mere months after the election is undemocratic and undermines the will of the people.
Take Action to Support Missouri Families
Join Empower Missouri in standing up for paid sick leave. Click the button below to contact your Missouri state senator and ask them to oppose HB 567. Let them know you support the right for Missouri workers to care for themselves and their families without losing their pay.
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