By Nedra Pickler and Darlene Superville
Associated Press (AP), January 15, 2015
BALTIMORE (AP) — President Barack Obama launched a fresh push Thursday to bring paid sick and family leave to working parents and other private-sector employees as the White House unveiled proposals that could benefit tens of millions of people. ... "Forty-three million Americans do not get paid sick leave," Obama said after a lunchtime discussion about juggling work and family with a group of women at a Baltimore cafe that offers paid sick leave to its small workforce. "It's a pretty astonishing statistic." ...
Citing the country's positive economic outlook, Obama said the kind of flexibility provided by paid leave policies "ultimately is going to make our economy stronger." He said the Baltimore cafe owner has offered above-minimum-wage pay and earned sick leave to her employees since opening in late 2010. That type of investment "pays dividends," said Obama, who cited reduced employee turnover as one benefit.