A young woman who sought an abortion, but couldn’t take the three days off work to safely get it. A construction worker whose baby son was feverish and having seizures, but who had to go back to a site before the boy returned from the hospital. A victim of sustained domestic abuse who needed time during work hours to seek legal help, but feared losing the day’s wages.
These are the stories of workers in Austin, Texas, who will benefit from a mandated paid sick leave policy, passed late last week. After five hours of emotional testimony on Thursday night, the Austin city council voted 9-2 for the bill, becoming the first city in Texas—and in the entire southern United States—to do so. Beginning in October 2018, an estimated 87,000 Austin workers will begin to accrue one paid hour off per 30 hours worked.
