Contact: Rick Fuentes
(o) 651-414-2863
(c) 612-741-0662
rick.fuentes@mnnurses.org
Barbara Brady
(o) 651-414-2849
(c) 651-202-0845
barbara.brady@mnnurses.org
(St. Paul) – March 10, 2016 – Minnesota Nurses Association Executive Director Rose Roach was appointed to, and chosen to co-chair, a St. Paul task force that will study and make recommendations on extending earned sick and safe time to all employees in the city.
Roach will serve as co-chair of the Earned Sick and Safe Time Task Force, along with St. Paul Human Rights and Equal Economic Opportunity Commission Chair JaPaul Harris and St. Paul Area Chamber of Commerce President Matt Kramer.
Earned sick and safe time refers to accrued hours of paid leave provided by employers to employees in order for the employees to address their health and safety needs or those of family members for whom they are responsible.
“It’s truly an honor to have been appointed to serve – and an even bigger honor to be asked to co-chair this task force that will research, discuss, and draft recommendations for a potential ordinance on earned sick and safe time in the city of St. Paul,” Roach said. “As the Executive Director of the Minnesota Nurses Association, I know that nurses care deeply about the health of their communities because they see health as a public good, so ensuring that workers have access to earned safe and sick time comfortably fits that vision. We must be thoughtful of all affected by an ordinance, but it is critically important that we do that through the lens of our common humanity and what’s in the best interest of the public overall. I’m excited to begin the discussion.”
The task force will meet throughout the spring and make recommendations to the Saint Paul Human Rights and Equal Economic Opportunity Commission, which will make recommendations to the City Council and mayor.
###