Americans work hard. We deserve to have paid time off | Opinion

Tiffany, a mother of two from Johnston, spent nearly two decades working full time at a hair salon that is part of a national chain. She loved her work but faced a common challenge: her job offered her no paid time off. This meant that all too often when one of her young children got sick, or had a school play, or a parent teacher conference, Tiffany would have to tell her kids that she couldn't be there for them because she would be giving up the income that she needed to provide for them.

In a recent conversation, Tiffany told me about the constant stress and guilt she felt as a mother wanting nothing more than to do the right thing for her children. Stories like hers are common for the nearly one in five private sector workers in our country without any guaranteed paid leave from work. While some states including Rhode Island guarantee paid sick time, working people need and deserve the flexibility to take a reasonable number of days off from work for any purpose of their choosing. [...] Read full article.