February 19, 2026
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FROM SEN GILLIBRAND’S OFFICE:
U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) introduced legislation to guarantee paid sick leave for workers across the country. The bill, cosponsored by Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and 28 Senate Democratic colleagues, would ensure workers can take time off to care for their health and their families without risking their jobs or pay.
“No one should have to choose between a paycheck and caring for a loved one or themselves. Yet, as the cost of groceries, gas, and housing continues to skyrocket, hardworking Americans are still forced into that impossible position every day,” said Senator Gillibrand. “Paid sick leave is a fundamental right and a commonsense protection that provides stability, ensuring families can handle life’s unavoidable challenges without falling behind on bills. Our Healthy Families Act is a practical solution that would give every working family the economic security and peace of mind they deserve.”
“It is an international embarrassment that the United States of America remains the only major country on Earth not to guarantee paid sick days to workers. Working together, we must end that embarrassment,” said Senator Sanders. “It’s not radical to ensure that every worker in America receives the paid sick days that they need. What’s radical is that we have corporations in America making billions in profits, denying paid leave to working moms and dads when their kids get sick. That’s radical.”
The U.S. today remains the only major country in the world that does not provide paid time off for short-term illnesses. Currently, nearly 27 million workers lack any paid sick time entirely, including 20% of the private sector workforce and 7% of the public sector workforce. Things are worse for low-income workers and households, with just 58% of low-income, private-sector workers able to access paid sick days. Without guaranteed paid sick leave, workers are forced to make untenable choices between getting a paycheck and keeping their jobs on the one hand and caring for their own and their family’s health on the other.
Workers without paid sick leave are three times more likely to delay or forgo necessary health care for themselves and nearly twice as likely to forgo medical care for their families compared to working adults with paid sick days. However, workers with access to paid sick leave are 28% less likely to suffer nonfatal occupational injuries, and employers who provide paid sick leave see 25% less turnover in their workforce. According to a study by the Institute for Women’s Policy Research, a universal paid sick days policy would reduce preventable visits to the emergency room and result in cost savings of $1.1 billion per year, including $500 million in savings for public health insurance programs like Medicare and Medicaid.
The Healthy Families Act would:
Guarantee every worker in America up to seven paid sick days each year, to be used to recover from their own illnesses, access preventive care, provide care to a sick family member or attend school meetings related to a child’s health condition or disability.
Simplify how employers calculate paid sick leave. Workers would earn a minimum of one hour of paid sick time for every 30 hours worked, up to a minimum of 56 hours per year.
Allow employers to use their existing policies if they exceed minimum standards.
Allow victims of domestic violence, stalking or sexual assault to use their paid sick days to recover or seek assistance.
The Healthy Families Act is endorsed by 88 organizations, including AFL-CIO, Service Employees International Union (SEIU), United Auto Workers (UAW), Communications Workers of America (CWA), Transport Workers Union (TWU), Association of Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA-CWA), International Association of Machinists (IAM), United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW), American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), National Education Association (NEA), American Federation of Teachers (AFT), Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA), National Partnership for Women & Families, A Better Balance.
Gillibrand and Sanders were joined on the legislation in the Senate by Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Chris Coons (D-DE), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Dick Durbin (D-IL), John Fetterman (D-PA), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Angus King (I-ME), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Ed Markey (D-MA), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Patty Murray (D-WA), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Jack Reed (D-RI), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), Tina Smith (D-MN), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Peter Welch (D-VT), and Ron Wyden (D-OR). Representative Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) introduced companion legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Read the full text of the legislation here.
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