The Minimum Wage and Paid Time Off Initiative, also known as Proposition (Prop) 206, will increase the current minimum wage in our state while also providing paid sick days for employees. More specifically, Arizona’s current minimum wage of $8.05 will increase to $ 12.00 by 2020, and employees will be able to earn up to 40 hours of paid sick time per year to care for themselves or family members. The Arizona Coalition to End Sexual and Domestic Violence (ACESDV) supports Prop 206.
Personal safety and economic security are inextricably linked for survivors of sexual and domestic violence. For many survivors, concerns over their ability to provide financially for themselves and their children are a significant reason for staying in or returning to an abusive relationship. Paid sick days would permit survivors of stalking, sexual and domestic violence to take time off work to manage many critical safety needs such as going to court, securing shelter or housing, seeking urgent medical care and more without compromising their economic stability. Because violent victimization can, and often times does have long-term consequences, once survivors are safe from immediate harm they may need time to work with law enforcement and the courts, or address the impact of trauma on themselves and their children, among other needs.
ACESDV supports Prop 206 because when survivors of stalking, sexual and domestic violence have access to workplace resources that help them build economic resiliency – including paid sick days – they and their families are more likely to remain safe. Remember to vote on November 8th and together we will take another step towards ending sexual and domestic violence in Arizona. For more information about Prop 206 and how to get involved, please visit www.azhealthyfamilies.org.
