Understanding Paid Sick Leave & Preventive Cancer Screening

Paid sick leave has a significant positive impact on public health, allowing workers paid time off to attend to short-term medical needs for themselves, a family member, or a qualifying individual. Paid sick leave slows the spread of infectious disease and promotes the use of preventive care — such as routine cancer screenings.

Yet according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, approximately 21% of the working population does not have access to paid sick leave, and workers earning low wages are among those least likely to have coverage.

In partnership with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), we’ve created a series of resources to promote and support paid sick leave policies:

• Our fact sheet and infographic provide an overview of the policy landscape for paid sick leave. These resources explain the importance of paid sick leave, outline key elements of a paid sick leave policy, and identify actions that public health professionals can take to encourage adoption of paid sick leave policies.
• Our business case fact sheet presents information for businesses considering a paid sick leave policy, as well as for governments considering a paid sick leave mandate or encouraging employers to implement their own paid sick leave provisions for employees.
• Our model language for comprehensive cancer control plans offers an avenue to inform the public about state and local paid sick leave requirements and to identify the benefits of providing paid sick leave to employees.