Rob Varnon (CT Post)
TRUMBULL — On the same day the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed two Fairfield University students had swine flu, a supermarket owner stood with a commercial printer and a local union president to support a bill that would make paid sick leave for some workers mandatory in Connecticut.
“These last two weeks have brought this into focus,” Jerry Porricelli, owner of Porricelli’s Food Mart in Trumbull and Old Greenwich, said Tuesday. “We’re still reporting cases.”
An hour before the news conference, the CDC confirmed that two students tested positive for swine flu of the seven suspected of having the virus at Fairfield University. All seven are reportedly recovered or recovering as the world copes with the outbreak of the H1N1 influenza virus that has left more than 100 dead in Mexico since it first appeared more than two weeks ago.
Stamford-resident Porricelli spoke outside his Trumbull store. He and Jonathan Kantrowitz, owner of Queue Inc., a publisher of educational materials, support H.B. 6187, a bill making its way through the state legislature that would require employers with 50 or more employees to provide a little less than seven days a year in sick leave.
Employees would accrue one hour of sick time for every 40 worked, as much as 52 hours a year. The bill does not prevent employers from granting more. Should an employer refuse to grant paid sick leave to an employee entitled to it, the employer can be fined $600. An identical bill last year failed in the state House.
“I personally support it,” said House Speaker Christopher Donovan, D-Meriden. But Donovan said it will take more than only his wishes to bring the bill to a vote.
“If the support’s there, we’ll give it a try,” he said, adding the bill is gaining some traction as people now consider it after the swine flu outbreak as a health bill, not only a benefits bill.
“The governor opposes the bill,” said Adam Liegeot, a spokesman for Gov. M. Jodi Rell. He didn’t elaborate and would not speculate on whether that opposition constitutes a veto threat.
Opponents have cited concern about its cost to businesses and said employees’ benefits should be left to employers. The Connecticut Business & Industry Association opposes the bill as do several other trade organizations and businesses. CBIA said the bill would make Connecticut the first state to mandate paid sick time.
Porricelli said it’s unfortunate that the issue has to be decided by a bill, but other businesses are not doing the right thing.
“How does a company tell its employee to stay home in the midst of this economic crisis when they’re sick and they don’t have sick leave?” he asked. The market owner said people are having a difficult time and can’t afford to lose more money to sickness so they’re going to work ill.
Kantrowitz agreed, adding that studies have shown people who come to work sick instead of resting eventually miss more work time because their illness or injury gets worse. Kantrowitz also views it as a safety and quality control issue.
“Sick employees make mistakes,” he said, noting that operating printing equipment takes skill and people can be injured if they aren’t paying attention. He also said when people make mistakes, it costs him money to reprint materials and hurts his reputation.
Kantrowitz provides sick leave and he has 30 employees. Porricelli also provides paid sick leave and he has more than 120 workers.
Brian Petronella, president of the United Food & Commercial Workers Union Local 371, and state Sen. Anthony Musto, D- Trumbull, spoke in favor of the bill Tuesday.
Petronella’s union represents Porricelli’s Trumbull workers.
The independent Working Families Party is one of the main proponents of the bill, and set up the news conference Tuesday.