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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

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Guest editorial, Pro: Hardworking people should be able to meet basic health needs, not spread illness

Dr. William Lockwood

As a doctor at a local health clinic, there are two pieces of advice I give my patients regularly: stay home when you are sick, and don’t put off coming in to see me until it’s an emergency.

Most of my clients are struggling to make ends meet, which means this advice is difficult for them to follow when they lack paid sick and safe leave. Coming to the doctor or staying home when sick could mean missing a critical day’s pay, pay that keeps the lights on or puts food on the table.

That’s why the most common response I get is simply, “I can’t afford to do that.”   

I became a doctor in order to help create a healthier community, so it angers and saddens me to see hardworking people who are unable to meet their basic health care needs.

My patients are not alone – 4 in 10 Spokane workers lack earned sick and safe leave. Not only does the lack of sick and safe leave impact these families in our city, it impacts all of us in the increased spread of disease and rising health care costs. 

According to the Centers for Disease Control, 1 in 30 Americans will contract an illness from a sick food worker. Yet, on average, more than 80 percent of restaurant workers nationwide do not receive paid sick time, and 60 percent have admitted to serving or preparing food while sick. Furthermore, of the 26 million employed Americans who were infected at the height of the 2009 flu pandemic, only 18 million took time off from work. Sick workers are estimated to have infected 7 million of their co-workers.

Overall, studies have demonstrated that workers with paid sick leave access primary care more often (critical for keeping chronic diseases under good control), they seek care earlier when sick (allowing treatment before an illness becomes severe), and they visit the emergency room less, saving an estimated 1.3 million ER visits per year.

Ironically, the likelihood of having a job with paid sick leave is inversely proportional to income. Of workers in the lowest 10 percent salary bracket, only 20 percent have paid sick leave, compared with 88 percent in the top 25 percent salary bracket. In addition, 2 out of 3 low-income children have two working parents without paid sick leave. Hence, there is a compelling need to work while sick (or send a sick child to school) in our community among members who are already most vulnerable to economic hardships.

From a medical viewpoint, there is overwhelming evidence for the benefits of paid sick and safe leave to improve the health of our community. I am encouraged that the Spokane City Council is considering passing an earned sick and safe leave ordinance. 

To have the biggest public health benefit, it should apply to all workers in Spokane and provide a minimum of seven days of leave so people have enough coverage to stay home once a year when sick or to take care of a sick family member.

Spokane is known as great place to raise a family, and this smart policy will help strengthen that reputation.

Dr. William Lockwood is a board-certified emergency medicine physician who has worked at CHAS health for five years. He is now the chief clinical officer for CHAS Health. The views expressed in this op-ed are his and do not necessarily reflect the views of CHAS Health.