Miami-Dade Commission Has Rejected Paid Sick Leave, And It’s A Big Mistake

Robert Crohan/Contributing Writer

Amid the outbreak of COVID-19 in South Florida, many have urged local and state governments to take more action to protect citizens from economic and medical disparity. 

While Miami’s outbreak is not as bad as New York’s, it is still the epicenter of cases in Florida, with no end in sight. However, the Miami-Dade commission rejected calls for paid sick leave on May 7, comparing it to policies that are in place in Cuba, where some of the members of the committee emigrated from.

Although I understand the concern regarding socialism, I believe this move was a mistake and will only increase hardships for the population of Miami-Dade.

The legislation was introduced before the outbreak and would have required companies that win county contracts to provide one week of paid sick leave. It was supported by local unions who saw it as a way to make life in the city easier as jobs are erased left and right even as cases of the virus soar and bills must be paid.

Miami is one of the least affordable cities in America. While others like San Francisco are technically more expensive, Miami has among the lowest wages in the nation relative to cost of living, despite a relatively high minimum wage. 

Much of the city’s economy revolves around basic jobs and this has led to a brain drain effect of skilled youth leaving the county in droves for cheaper places. Although many Cuban immigrants have benefited from some government programs, others, like those from Haiti, have not been so lucky and tend to experience more financial and societal pain.

Despite voting blue, Miami has historically been suspicious of progressive policies like wider health care coverage and now sick leave, because much of its population are immigrants who fled repressive far-left regimes in Latin America. 

It can be assumed that this, while well-meaning and indeed contributing to a freedom-loving populace, has failed to address the plight of the most vulnerable as this country becomes evermore expensive. In this particular crisis, struggling citizens have gotten little mercy as rent has not been cancelled and the price of some food items, such as beef, has exploded.

If the commission passed this measure, county residents would not have to choose between taking time off while losing valuable money and going to work while sick, risking infecting others. However, Miami-Dade County’s mayor, Carlos Giménez, said that small firms could lower payroll costs to keep the workforce small enough to be exempt from the sick leave requirement. Businesses hiring fewer than 15 people are exempt.

Some have pointed out that enacting this on a county level would create confusion for employers, but more clear guidelines should be provided so that measures like this are not completely abandoned due to these concerns. 

Although I cannot lecture scared immigrants who fled brutal governments about economics, I can point out that many US states like Vermont and Rhode Island that have a high standard of living enforce paid sick leave policies. Indeed, none of these states are sliding into authoritarianism and they are very peaceful and livable.

Given the horror of the coronavirus on mental, physical, and financial health, it would have made more sense for Miami-Dade to pass paid sick leave and consider further measures to assist the most vulnerable citizens in one of the epicenters of a severe global crisis. 

With a changing country and world should come changing politics to adapt and serve the interests of the people.

Featured image by StrawberryPopcan on Flickr.

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