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The latest on the Key Bridge collapse, New York puts forth legislation to get clean energy projects on the grid and Wisconsin and other states join a federal summer food program to help feed kids across the country.

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Republicans float conspiracy theories on the collapse of Baltimore's Key Bridge, South Carolina's congressional elections will use a map ruled unconstitutional, and the Senate schedules an impeachment trial for Homeland Secretary Mayorkas.

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Historic wildfires could create housing and health issues for rural Texans, a Kentucky program helps prison parolees start a new life, and descendants of Nicodemus, Kansas celebrate the Black settlers who journeyed across the 1870s plains seeking self-governance.

AZ Worker’s Dilemma: Spread Flu or Risk Going Without Pay

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Wednesday, November 4, 2009   

PHOENIX - We've all heard the advice by now: if you think you might be coming down with H1N1 or any kind of flu, stay home from work. But some studies show up to half of private-sector workers, in Arizona and across the country, have no paid sick leave. So, Jendean Sartain, Deputy Director for the Gila County Division of Health and Community Services, is encouraging employers to act responsibly and adjust their sick leave policies during the flu pandemic.

"Going to work only increases the spread of disease, because now you're spreading it to your co-workers and to your clientele. You're not going to get well any faster if you're pushing yourself and you're sick."

The flu can easily last a week, or even longer if there are complications. Sardain says employers should make allowances, not only for ill workers, but for those with sick children.

"You also don't want to send your sick child to daycare -- because now, you're exposing even more children, who are at highest risk for this disease."

In Sartain's opinion, modifying sick leave policies during the pandemic is good for public health, and for an employer's bottom line.

"We don't want our employees coming to work ill, because that just increases our exposure for our other employees, which then increases our illness rate. How do we keep our doors open if we have more and more of our staff out sick?"

Congress is considering the Healthy Families Act, which would grant all workers sick leave at companies with 15 or more employees. Neither House (HR 2460) nor Senate (S 1152) bill has made it out of committee since being introduced in May. Arizona Congressmen Raul Grijalva (D-7th) and Edward Pastor (D-4th) are co-sponsors of the House bill.



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