Jobs & Financial Security

Paid Family, Medical, & Sick Leave​

Over 4.3 million workers in Texas lack access to paid sick leave.

Approximately 40 percent of the Texas workforce lacks access to paid sick days. Paid sick leave promotes healthier communities, support our economy’s lowest paid workers, and build a stronger more productive Texas workforce.

hispanic construction workers

Equity in Focus

50 percent of Hispanic workers in Texas do not have access to paid sick leave compared to 33 percent of White workers in Texas.

Background

Paid sick days promote healthier communities, support our economy’s lowest paid workers, and build a stronger and productive Texas workforce. Paid sick days policies, like other business regulations, are designed to protect citizens and promote the health and well-being of society. Over 4.3 million workers in Texas lack access to paid sick leave which leads to the spread of illness such as influenza and and increases the likelihood of workplace injuries.

Every Texan has worked hard to support efforts to expand access to paid sick leave including partnering with a number of organizations dedicated to supporting paid sick leave legislation, the Austin City Council approved a city-wide paid sick days policy for private employers in 2018, followed by San Antonio and Dallas. In the 86th Texas Legislative session (2019), a slate of extreme preemption bills failed that would have prohibited Texan’s locally elected officials from enacting paid sick leave requirements among other basic worker protections. 

Our Staff

Amanda Posson

Senior Policy Analyst

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