As Democrats prepare to assume control of Congress, one of the promises they're making is to mandate paid sick days for all employees.
It's widely reported, though unsubstantiated, that nearly half of American workers do not have paid sick leave. Marc Freedman, labor law policy director at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, said the plan would place a financial burden on businesses.
"If they mandate this on businesses," he said, "businesses will have to find a way to cover that cost."
James Sherk, a policy analyst at The Heritage Foundation, said, in the long run, the plan would make it harder for many to get a job in the first place.
"It's also going to make them less likely and less wanting to hire workers who are more likely to be sick," he said. "Let's say less likely to hire someone who's a parent, if they get paid sick leave."
Glenn Stanton of Focus on the Family said it may not be easy to pick a side in this congressional battle.
"This is not a clear issue," he said. "This is not cut and dried -- well, here's where the pro-family people stand over here, and here's where the pro-business people stand over here. Sometimes these things clash and collide."
