Denver's Mandatory Sick Leave, Part 4

Don't read this ballot initiative. At least that's what proponents of this bill want.

If you name your ballot initiative something decent and worthwhile; then you have a good chance that people will vote for it. We think sick people and we think contagious disease. We think these poor souls suffering from highly contagious flu. So why are there so many paragraphs with so many statistics talking about domestic violence? This initiative addresses the need to provide time for obtaining restraining orders and time to find housing.

Proponents point out; Women account for about 85 percent of the victims of domestic violence and men account for approximately 15 percent of the victims. Therefore, women disproportionately need time off to care for their health or to find solutions, such as obtaining a restraining order or finding housing, to avoid or prevent physical or sexual abuse.

Domestic violence is a serious problem. Why are we hiding behind a ballot initiative labeled as sick leave, and asking employers to give employees paid time off from work if we are concerned with domestic violence? Shouldn't we be addressing the real issue? Make a law to address domestic violence relief and call it that.

Why are federal and state employees exempt from this initiative? Do employees who work for government organizations not suffer from domestic violence?

Asking the voters to secure employer paid time off for a waitress earning $4.34 per hour, is not the solution to domestic violence.

Asking the voters to secure employer paid time off for a waitress earning $4.34 per hour, is not the solution to financial security for sick employees.

Asking the voters to approve this initiative is a slap in the face to any intelligent voter who has read this initiative!

Next, we'll address the enforcement of this fiasco.