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Dozens of CA events this weekend honor Latino Conservation Week; Kamala Harris joins Oprah Winfrey in emotional campaign event; Report finds poor working conditions in Texas clean energy industry; AI puts on a lab coat, heads to technical schools.

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Rising threats of political violence, a Federal Reserve rate cut, crypto industry campaign contributions and reproductive rights are shaping today's political landscape.

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A USDA report shows a widening gap in rural versus urban health, a North Carolina county remains divided over a LGBTQ library display, and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz' policies are spotlighted after his elevation to the Democratic presidential ticket.

Report: MI Needs Family-Friendly Jobs, Not Anti-Family Policies

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Monday, June 22, 2015   

LANSING, Mich. – Tens of thousands of Michiganders live in fear of losing a paycheck or their job when they need time off because of illness or other unforeseen circumstance, which is among the reasons why a new report calls for state and federal policy changes.

Peter Ruark, senior policy analyst with the Michigan League for Public Policy, which put out the report, says policies such as earned sick leave aren't just about finances – they are issues of public health and well being.

"Workers often come into to work sick, spreading the germs to their co-workers and even to the public, if it's, for example, a restaurant job or a child care job, or they have to make the decision to stay home and lose the wages if their child gets sick," he says.

The report also recommends requiring employers to give workers predictable schedules, updating the state's child care subsidy, and urges Congress to establish a national paid family and medical leave insurance program.

Both the state House and Senate recently passed legislation prohibiting local governments from enacting ordinances to improve workplaces on issues related to sick leave, scheduling and minimum wage.

Ruark says while state policies should encourage work and help facilitate lifting low-wage workers into better careers, right now that's not the case.

"When we have a situation where people are afraid to even call in sick, where they're having to pay so much for child care, and then they're working irregular, unpredictable schedules every week, that's very difficult," he stresses.

A recent survey found that more than 85 percent of Michiganders believe that every worker should be able to earn sick days in order to take time off without losing pay. The full report is available on the League's website.





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