Health problem: workers lack earned sick days

When you catch a cold or the flu, you often suspect that you got it in a restaurant. In San Diego, you certainly may have. A new study by the Institute for Women's Policy Research finds that 76 percent of local employees working in food services lack any earned sick days. Because these workers generally have low pay, many go to work sick.

The study indicates that 44 percent of all private-sector workers in the county lack access to sick pay and half of the workers in the hotel industry do. The study, using data from the 2011 American Community Survey and the 2010–2011 National Health Interview Survey, indicates that 55 percent of Hispanics in the county don't get paid sick days, compared with 44 percent for white, non-Hispanic workers.

The occupations with the worst record are farming, fishing, and forestry, for which 87 percent don't get paid sick days off. In fourth place is personal care and service organizations, with 74 percent. These people often work with children. The best occupation is computer and mathematical occupations, in which only 16 percent lack paid sick leave.