Union Members and Advocates Press Pittsburgh Council to Expand Paid Sick Leave

Union representatives and local advocates voiced strong support on Wednesday for a bill that would expand paid sick leave for Pittsburgh workers, speaking at a City Council public hearing on the proposal.

Union member Theodore Hoffman said missing work without a sick day leaves a worker's paycheck "anemic." He noted that workers have families to support and mortgages to pay. "We should not have to come to work sick, to get other workers and the public sick," he said.

Pittsburgh passed an ordinance requiring paid sick leave in 2015, though legal challenges delayed its implementation for years. Under the rules, employers with 15 or more workers must grant at least five paid sick days per year, while workers at smaller employers can accrue up to three days annually.

The new bill, introduced in April by Council President Dan Lavelle, would add four days to the total that employees of large companies can accrue and three days for employees of smaller companies. Members of the service-workers union SEIU 32BJ helped research the proposal and rallied with Mayor Ed Gainey in support of it last month. Dozens of union representatives packed council chambers on Wednesday, cheering and applauding the speakers.

Tiana Wilson, an SEIU 32BJ member who works at 412 Boulevard of the Allies, said five days are not enough to stay healthy and avoid spreading illness. "By protecting us, you're protecting the rest of the city," she said. Joshua Kunkle, a security guard at PNC Bank and SEIU 32BJ member, said he has missed life events, including the birth of his son, because he lacked sick leave. He said he has worked with the flu, using Theraflu and a mask, to avoid burning through his sick time in case of a later emergency.

The 2015 law was originally sponsored by Allegheny County Controller Corey O'Connor, who is the Democratic mayoral nominee after defeating Gainey in the recent primary. O'Connor told WESA he supports expanding sick leave and believes it benefits both workers and employers. He said companies would save money on turnover and training, and argued that helping retain employees would make Pittsburgh more welcoming to residents and workers.

Only one speaker opposed the bill. Lauren Brinjac of the Pennsylvania Restaurant and Lodging Association said the changes could hurt smaller businesses. The association was among the parties that sued to block the original law in 2015, a case that ended in 2019 when the state Supreme Court ruled in favor of the ordinance.

Brinjac argued it is too soon after implementation of the earlier law to change the rules again. "The hospitality industry is operating on razor-thin margins," she said, adding that the proposed changes would be challenging in terms of payroll costs and hiring, particularly for smaller operations.

Council members at the hearing were all enthusiastic about the measure. Councilor Theresa Kail Smith said she would sign on as a sponsor, and sponsors Bobby Wilson and Lavelle thanked the union representatives for speaking. The bill is scheduled to be discussed next week for a preliminary vote.