Why are some members of Congress wasting time on a bill that would make things even worse for many of these families?

The opposition relies on the faulty argument that paid sick days are bad for business. But the truth is that earned leave promotes productivity and saves businesses money.

Workers desperately want more time with their families, more control over their hours, and fair compensation. The Cantor/Roby bill would make it harder for them to have any of the above.

Overtime pay is not just to be kind to workers. It also counteracts the absence of a federal statute that sets a ceiling on weekly work hours. What's to keep an employer from routinely asking for 70 hours and firing employees if they refuse?

It's time to expand unpaid leave to cover the 40 percent of all workers who are currently ineligible and to establish national family and medical leave insurance to meet 21st century workforce needs.

The majority of states reporting flu cases now say the outbreak is at "severe" levels. To avoid the spread of germs, we have to ensure that no one will lose income or a job for staying home sick.

These modest, reasonable proposals would go a long way toward protecting the health and economic stability of our families while also strengthening our economy. America's workers and families need and deserve them. It's time for lawmakers to act.

When the National Federation of Independent Business rolled into Orlando, they ran into some unexpected company: a crowd of 70 local business owners, community leaders and Orlando voters who rejected the group's claims to be a legitimate representative of small business.