New Haven Independent

You’ve heard the drill: wash hands frequently, cover your mouth and nose if you cough or sneeze, stay home if you or your child is sick and don’t go back to school or work until 24 hours after your fever is gone.

But while the message from medical professionals across the globe is how not to spread H1N1, it is not the same message you hear from many businesses in Connecticut and Governor M. Jodi Rell.

In the midst of what may turn out to be the worst flu season in decades, businesses successfully lobbied to kill a bill that would have required them to provide paid sick time for employees in Connecticut.

Tens of thousands of employees will have to decide whether to stay home and get better or come to work and spread the disease to colleagues, and customers. if they stay home for the five to seven days minimum it will take to get over H1N1 and depending on their hourly wage, they could be out $400 or more.

While Connecticut does nothing, the New York City Council has introduced legislation mandating that large employers give workers the ability to earn least nine paid sick days per year, while small businesses who have fewer than 10 employees would provide five.

When Gov. Rell vetoed Connecticut’s legislation, she did so arguing that this was not the time to add another burden to small business.

Different story in New York City, where Mayor Michael Bloomberg is on record supporting paid sick days for all workers in the city.

It is called principled leadership, and Mayor Bloomberg should be applauded for it.

Interestingly, San Francisco has had mandatory paid sick leave since 2007. No less than the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce now admits: “We really have not heard much about it being a major issue for a lot of businesses.”

Meanwhile, Connecticut families, whom the governor has championed throughout this year’s budget battle when saying she had to make “hard choices,” now have to make an even harder one thanks to our governor. Do they go to work and pass an incredibly infectious and deadly strain of flu (for which at this point there is no vaccination), along to their friends and co-workers? Or do they stay home and figure out how to pay the rent, buy food or both?

Some choice. Thanks Guv.

Rell could do the right thing, call the legislature back into special session, tell the business lobbyists to go pound sand, and push through some sort of paid sick leave legislation and help ensure the safety, health and well-being of all who live in Connecticut.

Or not.