The measure comes as momentum for paid leave legislation grows in Congress and bipartisan groups in the House and Senate work to find a compromise on federal policy, which has stalled over the years while states have enacted a patchwork of paid leave rights.
Lawmakers aim to bring more attention to the issue as the US stands as an outlier among industrialized nations in not guaranteeing its workers federal protections for paid time off. Workers in the European Union receive at least 20 paid vacation day per year, and up to as many as 30 days in some countries, according to the Center for Economic Policy and Research.
“No one works harder than the American worker. We’re the most productive workforce in the world,” Magaziner said in an interview. “It’s a matter of respect to working people in America who make our economy run—they deserve to be able to take vacation.”
About six in 10 Americans say having paid time off is an extremely important aspect of their jobs, according to a 2023 survey from the Pew Research Center. But despite it being a higher priority than employer-provided health insurance (51%) or retirement programs like a 401(k) (44%), less than half of US workers who have paid annual leave say they use all of their vacation days, the survey showed.
Despite the benefit’s popularity among employees, legislation to mandate paid vacation time has taken a back seat to efforts to provide paid leave for a worker’s medical conditions or care of family members.
Sanders introduced a similar two-week paid time off bill in 2015, but the legislation didn’t gain traction and there haven’t been similar bills since.
“I was surprised to be honest,” said Magaziner, a freshman congressman who noted he also supports federal paid family and medical leave. “You shouldn’t have to be sick, or have a child or a family member sick, in order to take a day off.”
Under the bill, employees would be able to use up to 80 earned hours of leave during a 12-month period as they see fit. The amount paid, which should be equal to the worker’s wage, would be in addition to any paid family or medical leave.
Earned paid time off would be available beginning on the 60th calendar day after the first date of employment.
Employers may require workers to provide notice before going on leave as long as the requirement isn’t more than two weeks, according to the legislation. The measure also would protect employees from discrimination for taking leave by prohibiting employers from considering paid leave use as a negative factor in an employment decision.
Democratic Reps. Nikki Budzinski from Illinois and Greg Casar and Jasmine Crockett from Texas are the bill’s co-sponsors.
The Service Employees International Union, UNITE-HERE, and the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers have all endorsed the legislation.
To contact the reporters on this story: Diego Areas Munhoz in Washington, D.C. at dareasmunhoz@bloombergindustry.com; Zach C. Cohen in Washington at zcohen@bloombergindustry.com
To contact the editors responsible for this story: Jay-Anne B. Casuga at jcasuga@bloomberglaw.com; Laura D. Francis at lfrancis@bloomberglaw.com
