Petition drive launches to require Nebraska businesses to provide paid sick leave

[Omaha Steve]

By Erin Bamer Jul 18, 2023

When Sierra Edmisten’s son was hospitalized for over a week, the Hastings, Nebraska, mother was torn between whether she should spend her time with him, or continue working in order to maintain their income.

Edmisten encountered similar dilemmas through several jobs that did not offer her paid sick leave, which eventually forced her to leave an industry she loved in order to have a job that offered the benefit. Tuesday, she was one of several people who spoke on behalf of a petition drive that aims to require all Nebraska businesses to provide paid sick leave.

“No Nebraskan should have to choose between a paycheck and their health, or the health of their family,” said Jo Giles, executive director of the Women’s Fund of Omaha.

Backed by the Women’s Fund and a dozen other state and local organizations, the petition drive launched Tuesday with a goal of putting the issue on the ballot for Nebraska voters in November 2024. To do that, organizers will need to collect more than 60,000 valid signatures of registered voters by July 1, 2024.

FULL story here: https://omaha.com/news/state-regional/government-politics/petition-drive-launches-to-require-nebraska-businesses-to-provide-paid-sick-leave/article_6db5ddf4-24e6-11ee-9864-27b210d104e0.html