President Barack Obama has ordered companies that contract with the federal government to offer their employees as many as seven paid sick days a year, the Wall Street Journal reported Monday.
Colleen McCain Nelson writes the executive order, which the president signed on Labor Day, gives approximately 300,000 contractor employees access to sick-leave benefit.
âWeâve seen that many companies, including small businesses, support these policies, because they understand itâs helpful with recruitment and retention,â Obama said during a speech Monday at a Boston event.
About 40 percent of employees in the U.S.’ private sector do not receive paid sick days, the report said.
Obama has also called on Congress to introduce a bill to mandate the creation of family and medical leave programs for private-sector workers, according to the newspaper.