https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/05/180524112356.htm > Findings also show that people with no paid sick leave benefits are more likely to experience food insecurity and require welfare services. Currently, only seven states mandate that employers provide paid sick leave benefits and nearly one-third of all workers in the United States lack these protections. > "Numerous studies have shown the negative effects lack of paid sick leave has on society, but this is the first time a direct correlation has been observed between the absence of these benefits and the incidence of poverty," said Patricia Stoddard Dare, Ph.D., associate professor of social work at Cleveland State. "This adds to the growing body of evidence that paid sick leave is a key factor in health care affordability and economic security."