Core Provisions: This legislation would require employers who send employees home, or tell them to stay home, because they have symptoms of a contagious illness, or have been in close contact with a person who has a contagious illness, to pay the employees sick leave for each workday the employee complies with the order, up to a maximum of five workdays during a 12-month period.  The bill would apply to any employer with more than 15 employees, and to all full and part-time employees.  The Act was proposed to ensure that employees with symptoms of a contagious disease, including the H1N1 virus, are able to follow the recommendations of their employer and public health authorities without suffering financial harm.  The Act would take effect 15 days after it is signed into law and would expire in two years. 

Status: Rep. George Miller (D-CA) and six co-sponsors introduced the bill on November 3, 2009.  It was referred to the House Committee on Education and Labor that same day.