Nov. 3 (Bloomberg) -- Employees who are sent home because of swine flu or another contagious illness would get five paid sick days under a bill introduced today by U.S. Representatives George Miller and Lynn Woolsey, both Democrats from California.

With employers directing sick workers to stay home to stem the spread of swine flu, it is unfair to make employees “choose between their livelihood and their coworkers’ or customers’ health,” said Miller, who chairs the House Education and Labor Committee. The bill may save money for employers by making sure the disease doesn’t spread through the workplace and reduce productivity, he said.

Swine flu, also known as H1N1 influenza, is widespread in the U.S. and has affected “millions” of Americans since it was first detected in April, said Thomas Frieden, director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The U.S. supply of 31.8 million doses of vaccines to prevent the flu hasn’t met demand, he said today in a briefing at the Atlanta-based agency.

“I will make every effort to have a vote as soon as possible,” Miller said, pointing toward holding hearings on the bill during the week of Nov. 16. “The flu is not waiting on the schedule of the Congress.”

Companies that provide paid sick days would be exempt from the law.

The CDC estimates that a sick worker will infect 1 in 10 coworkers. The agency has recommended flexible work policies to encourage workers to stay home.

Sick Leave

Nearly one-half of all workers don’t have access to sick leave, which is paid by employers, Miller said. Many of these are part-time or low-wage workers, such as restaurant and school cafeteria employees who are exposed to many people daily, he said.

“It takes the employer and makes him the bad guy,” said Brad Close, vice president for public policy at the National Federation of Independent Business, representing 350,000 small businesses. Close said benefit packages at companies with fewer employees tend to tailor packages to each worker and give personal days that they can use when sick.

“The assumption on Washington’s part is that employers won’t do the right thing,” he said. The average size of member companies in the federation is 10 employees. “Washington also confuses the fact that wages and benefits are both compensation and the end result of this bill could mean wages won’t grow.”

To contact the reporter on this story: Pat Wechsler in New York at pwechsler@bloomberg.net

Last Updated: November 3, 2009 18:02 EST