US President Barack Obama Signs Executive Order On Paid Sick Days Monday Sep 07,2015

US President Barack Obama on Monday Sep 07,2015 signed an executive order on Labor Day requiring that federal contractors provide their employees with paid sick leave, the latest in a string of executive actions aimed at raising the bar in the U.S. workplace. 

According to the White House, the order will give roughly 300,000 workers under federal contracts up to seven paid sick days per year. 

Workers will earn one hour of leave for every 30 hours worked. The rules will start with new federal contracts signed starting in 2017

Note
Only Congress could pass laws requiring all employers to provide their workers paid sick leave or pay them higher wages.

Republicans who control Capitol Hill oppose such steps, ‎saying they will raise the costs of doing business and make products and services more expensive.

Instead, Obama has issued orders requiring the federal government, and the many companies who receive federal contracts, to abide by the new labor rules.