美国总统奥巴马每周电台演讲:让各个家庭获得带薪病假

One goes like this. Eight years after the worst economic crisis of our lifetimes, our economy has created jobs for 71 straight months. That's a new record. Unemployment has fallen below five percent. Last year, the typical household saw its income grow by about twenty-eight hundred dollars – the biggest one-year increase ever. And the uninsured rate is at an all-time low.
一个就像这样.我们生命中最严重的经济危机8年之后,我们的经济已经连续71个月创造着就业岗位.这是一个新记录.失业率已经下降到5%以下.去年,最普遍的家庭都可以看到,他们的收入增长了近2800美元--这是有史以来一年中最大的增长量.未购买保险率也是一直以来的最低水平.

All that is true. What's also true is that too much of our wealth is still taken by the top – and that leaves too many families still working paycheck to paycheck, without a lot of breathing room.
所有这些都是事实.同样是事实的是,我们太多的财富仍然被最富有的人所占有--但是这让太多的家庭会一直为了挣支票而挣支票,没有一点儿喘息的空间.

There are two things we can do about this. We can prey on people's worries for political gain. Or we can actually do something to help working families feel more secure in today's economy.
关于这些,我们有两件事情可以去做.我们可以为了政治收益而让人们担忧,或者实际上我们可以做些事情,帮助工薪阶层在当下的经济中获得更多的安全感.

Count me in the latter camp. And here's one thing that will help right away: making sure more of our families have access to paid leave.
我算后一种人.当下有一件事情可以起作用:确保我们更多的家庭拥有带薪病假的福利.

Today, having both parents in the workforce is an economic necessity for many families. But right now, millions of Americans don't have access to even a single day of paid sick leave. So if you get sick, that sticks you with a lousy choice. Do you go to work and get everyone else sick, too? Or do you take care of yourself at the risk of a paycheck? If your kid gets sick, do you send her to school anyway? Or do you stay home to take care of her, lose a day's pay, and maybe even put your own job at risk?
今天,对众多家庭来说,父母双方都上班,在经济上是必要的.但当下,数百万人没有机会获得甚至是一天带薪病假的福利.所以,如果你病了,这让你被迫进行艰难的选择.你是去工作或者让每一个其他的人也生病?或者你注意了自己的健康,而让薪水泡汤了.如果你的孩子病了,无论如何,你会把她送到学校去吗?或者你会留在家里照顾她,而丧失一天的薪水,甚至可能有丧失自己工作的风险.

We shouldn't have to make choices like that in America. That's why I've repeatedly called on the Republican Congress to pass a law guaranteeing most workers in America the chance to earn seven days of paid sick leave each year. Of course, Congress hasn't acted. But we've also worked with states, cities, and businesses to try to get the job done – and many have, pointing to research showing that paid leave actually helps their bottom line. In fact, since I took office, another ten million private sector workers have gained paid sick leave – making up a record share of our workforce.
在美国,我们本不必做出这样的选择.也因此,我已经再三呼吁共和党人的国会通过法案,确保美国大多数的人们有机会每年都有七天带薪病假.当然,国会并没有行动.但我们也必须和各州,各城市和众多的商家来完成这一工作--很多已经这么做了,他们指出,研究表明,带薪病假实际上可以符合他们的底线.事实上,自我就职以来,又有近千万私营部门员工获得了带薪休假的福利--创造了我们劳动力市场的记录.

Unfortunately, there are still about 40 million private sector workers who don't get a single day. That's why I'm doing what I can on my own. Effective on January 1st, federal contractors will be required to give their employees working on new federal contracts up to seven paid sick days each year. That's happening. It will help about one million workers when they or a loved one gets sick. It will cover time you need for preventive care. It will cover absences resulting from domestic violence or sexual assault. And it means everyone else is less likely to catch what someone else has got – whether it's a coworker or the person preparing or serving your food.
不幸的是,仍然有4000万私营部门员工一天也得不到这样的福利.也因此我在做我自己能做的事情.在1月1日生效,联邦承包商将被要求给予在新的联邦合同的雇员一年可以获得七天带薪病假的福利.这正在发生.当他们或者爱着的人生病了,这将帮助他们,大约有100万人.这将让你有时间去做预防性保健.这将让家庭暴力或者性侵犯导致的结果得以弥补.这意味着其他人不太可能获得其他人已经得到的--不管是同事或者为你准备食物或服务你的人.

Paid sick leave isn't a side issue, or a women's issue, or something that's just nice to have. It's a must-have. By the way, so are economic priorities like child care, paid family leave, equal pay, and a higher minimum wage. We need a Congress that will act on all these issues, too, because they'd make a meaningful difference in the lives of millions of Americans who are working hard every day. It's more than talk – it's action. And that's what you should demand of every politician who wants the privilege to serve you.
带薪病假并不是单方面的事项,或者妇女问题,或者仅仅是很好的事情.这是必须要做的事情.顺便说一下,其他的经济优先事项也应如此,比如儿童护理,带薪探亲假,同工同酬,更高的最低工资标准.我们需要国会,也在所有这些事项上行动起来.因为这会在每天都辛勤工作的数百万国人的生命里,带来有意义的改变.这不仅是说说而已--这是行动.这是你应该要求每一个想要特权服务于你的政治人物都应该做的.

Thanks everybody, and have a great weekend.
谢谢大家,周末快乐.