Providence, RI – Rhode Island is the latest state to guarantee paid sick leave for workers after Gov. Gina M. Raimondo (D) signed legislation into law on Sept. 28.
The state joins seven others and the District of Columbia, plus a number of cities, in authorizing paid sick leave. The Rhode Island law applies to businesses with 18 or more employees.
Eligible workers will be guaranteed three sick days per year beginning in 2018. That number will increase to four in 2019 and five in 2020.
“Being able to recover from an illness or care for a sick relative without having to worry about losing your job or going without pay is a basic right that Rhode Islanders deserve,” Raimondo said in a press release. “Treating workers with dignity and respect is imperative to creating a strong, productive workforce, but, more importantly, it’s the right thing to do.”
The law will affect more than 100,000 workers in the state, according to the release.
