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City Public Advocate Calls For Immediate Passage Of Paid Sick Leave Measure

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) - The New York City Public Advocate has called for the immediate passage of a measure that would provide all employees with sick leave.

"Over a million New Yorkers have no paid sick leave coverage. They work and if they get sick, they may lose their job if they cannot go to work. They certainly could lose a number of days pay at a time when most New Yorkers literally cannot afford to lose a couple of days pay," Public Advocate Bill de Blasio told WCBS 880.

de Blasio sharply criticized City Council Speaker Christine Quinn for unfairly preventing the Paid Sick Leave bill from going up for a vote.

"Speaker Quinn has not allowed this to come to a vote on the floor of the City Council even though this issue has been debated for over two years and there is a super-majority of council members who support this legislation. It's time, we need it, and it's literally undemocratic for this legislation not to be brought to a vote by Speaker Quinn," de Blasio told WCBS 880.

Mayor Michael Bloomberg has threatened to veto the proposal, but de Blasio said there is enough support in the City Council to override the veto.

de Blasio said passage of the legislation is long overdue and fair to all workers.

"This legislation simply says that you get five days a year where you're covered if you are truly sick and cannot work. It's what many unionized employees have and many employees of large corporations have but over a million New Yorkers don't have," de Blasio told WCBS 880.

Quinn and Bloomberg have said passage of the paid sick leave measure would hurt small businesses in the current economic climate.

Do you think all workers should be given paid sick leave, or should it be up to the employers? Sound off in the comments section below...

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