Sanders pushes to give Americans a paid vacation

June 11, 2015, 06:59 pm
Sanders pushes to give Americans a paid vacation

By Jordain Carney


Sanders, who is running for the Democratic presidential nomination, said he is introducing a bill, the Guaranteed Paid Vacation Act, that would give 10 days of paid vacation to every employee that had worked for an employer for at least one year. The legislation would apply to employers with at least 15 employees.

"What family values are about is that at least for two weeks a year, people can come together under a relaxed environment and enjoy the family," Sanders said from the Senate floor. "That is a family value that I want to see happen in this country."

The legislation is part of the senator's "family values agenda." As part of the agenda, he also backed legislation that would give an employee 12 weeks of paid leave if they have a child or serious medical condition, as well as a separate bill that would give workers up to seven paid sick days.

On his support for paid sick leave, Sanders added, "I am not crazy about the idea of somebody who is sick coming to to work, preparing the food that I eat in a restaurant."

While Republicans had talked previously discussed "family values," Sanders said that "generally speaking, what they mean by family values is opposition to a woman's right to choose, opposition to contraception, opposition to gay rights."

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http://thehill.com/blogs/floor-action/senate/244780-sanders-pushes-for-paid-vacation-days