I'm offended by the comments of Del. Kathy Szeliga about whether Maryland should mandate paid sick days ("Lawmakers put paid sick leave on agenda," Jan. 26). I don't need paid sick days to fish. I need paid sick days and job protection because I have cancer and lost my job when I took time off to fight my disease.
I had been in remission and could have caught it sooner if I had paid sick time. Even though I was working in severe pain, I didn't want to get it checked out. I was afraid that the doctors would keep me for several days for tests as they had in the past. That would mean that I would get behind on my bills or even lose my job. As a parent, I need to take care of my kids and meet their needs.
I'm not a deadbeat employee. I am a veteran of the U.S. Armed Forces where I served four tours between 1999 and 2007, two in Iraq. Everyone gets sick, but many of us are forced to work regardless. Everyone should have the right to earn paid sick time to take care of themselves and their families.
It's unfortunate that the Chamber of Commerce and some business owners won't show respect to the workers who are earning money for them and not allow them to take care of themselves or their family's health needs.
Emmanuel McCray, Baltimore