My server just sneezed in the bread basket

While eating Cosi take-out yesterday, I lunched with women from various organizations to discuss the latest happenings in the Work/Life field. We mulled over a grossly offensive Supreme Court ruling, the current lack of attention on women and family issues from the presidential candidates, and the need for paid sick leave.

This being a food blog with a (slight) conscious, I’d like to highlight the plight of the under appreciated server.

Restaurant workers rarely are granted paid sick leave. If they “choose” to come to work when sick — so they can make a living — this act not only hurts their health, but it will probably spread their germs on to you, the customer.

The Healthy Families Act “would provide full-time employees with seven paid sick days a year to be used for their own medical needs or to tend to the medical needs of a child, spouse or parent. Part-time employees receive a pro-rata share of paid sick days.” (BPW/USA)

You can find out more about the lives of your servers, such as their inadequate pay, here.

It’s not only important to tip well, but to support your server’s right to be sick, stay home in bed, and get paid.