About one third of Dorchester workers, and almost one million statewide, are entitled to no sick days with their jobs. But if Question 4 passes on Election Day, they can earn up to five sick days or forty hours a year to take care of themselves, their children, and/or relatives who are ill.

It is a terrible dilemma for a parent whose child is sick: If he or she stays home to take care of the child, that day’s pay is lost. It's not fair that while most employees who get a salary have sick days, most who work for hourly wages do not.

Question 4 for Earned Sick Time is supported by religious denominations, labor unions, community groups, senior groups, hospitals, health centers, and some business groups.

Small businesses of fewer than 11 employees would get a break under Question 4. They would have to provide unpaid sick time while businesses of 11 or more employees would have to give paid earned sick time. Part-time employees could earn some sick days and hours if they work enough hours.

A doctor who works in the Emergency Room at the Brigham tells this story: He frequently has to sew stitches for restaurant workers who have cut themselves badly while slicing vegetables and meat. He tells them to stay out of work a few days to let the stitches heal. Too frequently, he says, he sees them back in the ER because with no sick days on the job, they can't afford to stay home.

Two mothers tell this sad story. They can get time off to take care of their sick children if they first bring their children to the school nurse’s office and then take the bus to their job. Only when the nurse calls their job, will their boss let them off. They then have to go back to the school, collect their sick children, and take them home.

When my mother was dying of cancer, I had sick time in my job so I was able to drive her to doctor's appointments and be there with her. It’s not fair that so many others don't have those options.

The Massachusetts Catholic Conference has issued a statement of support for a “yes” on Question 4 that was signed by Cardinal O'Malley. The statement says, "Today, those without sick time are oftentimes forced to choose between going to work sick or losing a day's pay, in many casesthreatening the loss of a job. Tragically, many are forced to send a sick child to school to save their income or their job. These are the same individuals who earn the least amount and struggle to provide the basic needs for themselves and their families.”

Because of the public health concerns that having sick days helps with, most Boston hospitals and many health centers are supporting a “yes” on Question 4. The list includes Boston Medical Center, MGH, Brigham, Children's Hospital, Beth Israel Deaconess, Tufts Medical Center, the Steward system that includes the Carney and St. Elizabeth's. Also health centers here like Neponset Health Center, Bowdoin Street, and Geiger-Gibson. Unions like MA AFL-CIO, Carpenters, SEIU, UNITE HERE, Teachers, MNA, are all supporting a “yes” vote, as is the Massachusetts Senior Action Council. Community groups like MAHA and New England United for Justice are on board, too. And The Alliance for Business Leadership, which comprises 180 business executives like Phil Edmundson, the head of the large insurance company William Gallagher Associates, supports “yes” on Question 4.

If individuals working with no sick days for a large company like Walmart, McDonald's, or TJ Maxx and get no sick days, were paid sick time, they would spend that money back in our economy, which would help to maintain and create jobs.

It was not easy to put Question 4 on the ballot. The Raise UP Massachusetts Coalition of community, religious, and labor groups collected over more than 100,000 signatures to qualify the issue for the ballot. We had more than 6000 volunteers collecting signatures in front of supermarkets, outside church services, and at shopping centers. The measure has been before the Legislature for eight years and only when they would not vote on it, did we file the signatures to put it on the ballot.

We urge you to vote “yes” on Question 4 for Earned Sick Time on November 4.
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Lew Finfer is a Dorchester resident, Director of Dorchester-based MA Communities Action Network, and co-chair of Raise UP Massachusetts.