To the Editor:
As a business owner, I welcome an earned sick-day policy.
In Rhode Island, more than 40 percent of private-sector workers are not able to accrue paid sick days. When workers or their family members get sick, they are forced to decide whether they can afford to lose a day's pay to get the care they need. As the owner of a small food-service establishment, I don't want my employees to have to be in that position. I also don't want them to come in sick when they will be handling food. Providing earned sick days allows our employees to take care of their health, curbs the spread of illness to our customers and staff and strengthens employee commitment and loyalty. The Healthy and Safe Families and Workplaces Act, a bill currently before the General Assembly, would ensure that all workers in the state are able to benefit from earned sick days. I strongly support this initiative.
My wife and I own Hudson Street Deli, a neighborhood-oriented sandwich shop in Providence serving breakfast and lunch. In our three years of operation, we have grown from three to 12 employees. More than half of our staff has been with us for more than a year, with several approaching their three-year anniversary at the shop. In an industry with considerable turnover, we believe our success in employee retention and overall job satisfaction comes, in part, from a two-branch policy providing paid time off in conjunction with an objective attendance policy.
We currently offer several days personal time, a two-day employee vacation retreat, and two days paid sick time. The Healthy and Safe Families and Workplaces Act would expand our policy, and we look forward to participating in that necessary expansion. We provide earned sick time so our staff members don't have to make financially motivated decisions to work while sick.
The expenses of operating a small business are many and varied. However, earned sick days have been a net positive. Every business owner understands the value of investing in a solid, loyal staff. Happy and healthy employees are committed employees and decrease the huge expenses related to hiring and training new staff. Our dedicated employees create the positive experience our customers enjoy and expect from us. We are happy to adopt the full spectrum of benefits outlined in the Healthy and Safe Families and Workplaces Act.
BRYAN RINEBOLT OWNER HUDSON STREET DELI