Helping working families helps South Carolina

Last month, the state Senate overwhelmingly passed a bill to ensure that South Carolinians not only work cheap but also work sick. The bill, which passed 32-8, would bar local governments from requiring businesses to provide any employee benefits, such as sick leave. If it becomes law, the “work-sick” requirement will be tacked onto a “work-cheap” law passed in 2002 that bars local governments from setting a minimum wage higher than the federal minimum.

These bills, promoted by lobbyists for national restaurant and retail associations, are very much like the policies coming out of the Trump administration: They benefit the wealthy few rather than strengthening working families.

While I can’t do a lot about what happens in Congress, Rep. Gilda Cobb-Hunter and I are working to advance policies that can lift the income of working families here in South Carolina. Among the bills we are working on with the S.C. Progressive Network to improve the quality of life for working families while strengthening our economy are these:

▪ Earned paid sick leave. During the H1N1 outbreak of 2009, eight million Americans reported to work ill — infecting as many as seven million of their co-workers. Allowing employees to stay at home with even one paid “flu day” would help them recover and could reduce flu transmission by an estimated 25 percent. S.361 allows all working people to earn paid sick time so they can take care of themselves or a family member when they get sick, without fear of losing a day’s wages or their job. This helps employees, families and businesses in addition to boosting the economy.

▪ Minimum wage. The federal minimum wage of $7.25 an hour is not enough for a family to make ends meet. H.3085 would raise the minimum wage and provide hard-working South Carolinians with income to spend on families’ basic needs. When money is spent, it generates business for the economy and eases the burden on taxpayer-funded services. Raising the minimum wage helps build an economy that works for everyone.

▪ Earned income tax credit. This is proven to be one of the most effective ways to combat poverty. The federal tax credit reduces the taxes paid by low-income, working Americans based on their earnings and the size of their family. H.3226 and S.358 would offer a modest credit against low-wage workers’ income taxes, which means working families will have more money in their pockets to take care of their families and put back into the economy.

According to a 2014 Census report, South Carolina had the 11th-highest percentage of people living in poverty and the fifth-highest percentage of children living in poverty, with 17 percent of our working families living in poverty.

When we have good jobs that allow us to care for and support our families, quality education to prepare for work or college, health care and retirement security, we boost South Carolina’s economy, and all of us are better off.

Whether in Washington or Columbia, the test for elected officials should be the same: Are we helping working families, or the wealthiest corporate CEOs?

This story was originally published March 6, 2017 at 5:12 PM with the headline "Helping working families helps South Carolina."