Voters in 3 red states cast ballots on paid sick leave

St. Louis — Voters in Missouri, Nebraska and Alaska will soon decide whether workers there should be entitled to paid sick leave.

If approved, the ballot measures would allow many workers to accrue paid time off, a benefit supporters say means workers — especially those with low-paying jobs — would no longer have to fear losing wages or possibly the jobs themselves for getting sick. Proponents say such policies benefit the broader public, too, allowing workers to stay home when sick or to care for ill family members to stem the spread of infectious diseases.

But opponents say the measures force new burdens on employers, who should be the ones deciding which benefits are best.