Nebraska Lawmakers Working Toward Paid Family & Sick Leave

(NBCNebraska) LINCOLN, Neb.-- Thousands of don't get paid when they take time off work because they're sick or have a new baby in the family. It's something President Obama said in his State of the Union he wants to see change. Nebraska lawmakers are working to make it happen.

It's a story we've told you about in the past. The difficulties families go through when a family member gets sick, or they have a baby. All reasons many of us take off work. But for some families it's the choice between taking the time and making ends meet.

Now your lawmakers are working to make the change so families don't have to chose. Omaha Senator Jeremy Nordquist introduced a bill this session that would change that.

"You get essentially one work week of sick leave provided to each worker," said Nordquist. He said this bill serves as a base line for paid time off.

While Senator Nordquist is working on this bill here at Nebraska's capital, a similar policy is gaining traction at the union's capital.

President Obama urged lawmakers in his State of the Union address to write a law to provide paid family & sick leave to Americans.

"Send me a bill that gives every worker in America the opportunity to earn seven days of paid sick leave," said President Obama. "It's the right thing to do," he said.

Nebraska Senator Deb Fischer does have a bipartisan bill in Washington she said will give employers incentive to offer paid time off.

"Our bipartisan plan provides a balanced measure that respects employers' costs of doing business with employee needs. It also creates a meaningful incentive structure to encourage employers to provide working families, including hourly workers, the chance to take paid time off," she said.

State Senator Nordquist said that bill goes well with what's going on here in Nebraska.

"I think it's something that we should even look into at the state level going forward, but as far as just a basic requirement of sick leave going forward I think that's something that can be done at the state level," he said. Full Story