PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Shyamala Ramakrishna, Legal Fellow at A Better Balance
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Shyamala Ramakrishna from A Better Balance testified in support of Intro 780, which would expand paid sick leave to include caregiving needs. She emphasized the importance of this legislation in addressing gender inequality in the workforce and protecting workers with caregiving responsibilities.
- Urged the council to pass Intro 780 with some modifications, such as expanding the definition of "care recipient"
- Highlighted the challenges faced by workers subject to strict attendance policies in industries like food processing and retail
- Agreed with the administration's reasons for requesting modifications to Intro 1081
Shyamala Ramakrishna
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Good afternoon.
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Thank you for convening this hearing, chair and members, and for the opportunity to testify.
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I'm Shyamal Ramakrishna.
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I'm a legal fellow at A Better Balance.
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A Better Balance is a national legal advocacy organization headquartered here in New York City.
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We've developed expertise on paid sick leave laws, including New York City's Earned Sick Time Act, along with Council Member Brewer.
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And we helped lead the coalition that fought for its passage.
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Through our free legal helpline, we answer questions every day for many New York City workers regarding their rights under paid sick time and their experiences inform our testimony today.
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First, we urge the council to pass intro 780 with some modifications.
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This vital legislation would, among other things, give workers access to their bank of time off for caregiving needs that do not necessarily involve illness, injury, or medical care.
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This is crucial for mitigating gender inequality and workforce participation as women bear the brunt of the penalty at work for needing to be absent to provide emergency childcare and elder care.
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We consistently hear from workers who cannot call out from work under any existing legal protection to meet these obligations.
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Some of them are subject to the strict no fault attendance policies favored by large employers in meat and food processing, manufacturing, and retail, and can be punished with points or occurrences for a single unprotected absence.
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With even one fallen through childcare arrangement, these workers may lose their jobs threatening their livelihoods and the well-being of their dependents.
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We highlight more reasons this legislation should pass and propose some changes in our written testimony.
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For example, in section 1, we recommend expanding the definition of care recipient by removing the requirement that they be a household or family member.
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In our experience, many life saving networks of care do not involve a biological or even legal relationship or the sharing of a household or a family relationship pursuant to the definition already set forth in section 2912.
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We urge the committee to consider an intentionally expansive definition of care recipient because our research into existing family leave laws with the most expansive definitions has shown that such definitions provide protection to workers who need it without leading to abuse or really much increased uptake at all.
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And we agree with the administration's reasons for requesting modification to 1081 for the reasons that the administration's already set out.
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So thank you for the opportunity.