Obama announces executive order on paid sick leave
In Boston on Monday, President Obama announced an executive order requiring that federal contractors offer employees up to seven paid sick days annually.
Obama shared the news at a Labor Day breakfast hosted by the Greater Boston Labor Council, telling the crowd, "Right now, you have parents who have to choose between losing income or staying home with a sick child." For every 30 hours worked, full-time and part-time employees on new contracts starting in 2017 will earn one hour of sick leave, up to a maximum of seven days a year, White House officials said. About 300,000 people could benefit from the order.
Several Republicans say Obama is overstepping his authority, a claim rejected by administration officials. Before the president's visit to Boston, Secretary of Labor Thomas Perez said in a conference call with reporters that the U.S. is the only "country where the issue of paid family leave has become a partisan issue. Everyone else in the world has recognized how common sense this is."
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
-
NY attorney general asks public for ICE raid footageSpeed Read Rep. Dan Goldman claims ICE wrongly detained four US citizens in the Canal Street raid and held them for a whole day without charges
-
Trump’s huge ballroom to replace razed East WingSpeed Read The White House’s east wing is being torn down amid ballroom construction
-
Trump expands boat strikes to Pacific, killing 5 moreSpeed Read The US military destroyed two more alleged drug smuggling boats in international waters
-
Trump demands millions from his administrationSpeed Read The president has requested $230 million in compensation from the Justice Department for previous federal investigations
-
Trump nominee in limbo after racist texts leakSpeed Read Paul Ingrassia lost Republican support following the exposure of past racist text messages
-
Trump begins East Wing demolition for ballroomspeed read The president’s new construction will cost $250 million
-
Appeals court clears Trump’s Portland troop deploymentSpeed Read A divided federal appeals court ruled that President Trump can send the National Guard to Portland
-
Millions turn out for anti-Trump ‘No Kings’ ralliesSpeed Read An estimated 7 million people participated, 2 million more than at the first ‘No Kings’ protest in June



