This seems so logical it is hard to argue against it. It’s too bad that the fear of an epidemic is spurring a sensible policy:

In an effort to rein in the spread of the H1N1 flu, Representative George Miller,  the chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee, introduced legislation on Tuesday that would guarantee five paid sick days for workers sent home by their employers with a contagious illness.

Mr. Miller, Democrat of California, voiced concern that more than 40 million workers did not have paid sick days and that many workers coming into contact with public — like restaurant or school cafeteria employees — would go to work with H1N1 and spread the virus if they could not afford to stay home.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 39 percent of all private-sector workers do not receive paid sick days, while among the bottom 25 percent of wage earners, 63 percent do not.