Mandatory 40hrs/year in Paid Sick Leave? 600% Increase in Call Outs

Has anyone here ever heard of Oregon Sick? Maybe your state has something like it (like California Sick). Here's what's going on in Oregon:

In 2015, Oregon passed a law mandating that all employers with more than 50 employees provide 40 hours per year of sick pay, starting January 2016. Not only are we obligated to pay the employees for the time they miss, but we can't hold them accountable for any time they miss. No doctor's notes required. Utter the word "sick" or "I'm just not feeling it" and you're excused - and paid in full.

I run a grocery store. So, when a cashier calls out sick, it's a big deal. If you've ever waited in line for more than 3 minutes at check-out then you know what I mean. Now think about what it would be like if 7 clerks called out in the same day, and the havoc that would wreak on trying to run the business.

From January 2016 through June 2016, we saw a 600% increase in call-outs. It is the new norm.

There are tons of side effects of this, but the one that hits home is the strain it puts on people who have always been willing to pick up the slack of others.

Here are just a couple instances this week where this has sucked:

• Collecting carts because one of the several that called in was my cart clerk

• Leaving after a 12pm - 3am shift (normally would have left at 9pm)