Montgomery County will join the growing list of jurisdictions mandating paid sick leave after the county council voted unanimously to pass the measure this afternoon.

In 2008, D.C. became the second place in the country to pass a paid sick days law (San Francisco was the first). Since then, another sixteen cities and four states have passed legislation guaranteeing workers the right to compensated time off in the event of an illness. D.C. also expanded its legislation last year, extending paid sick leave to tipped workers.

County officials estimate that the new law will extend paid sick leave to between 89,217 and 91,051 employees in Montgomery County that currently don’t have it. The legislation is similar to measures that failed to pass the Maryland General Assembly the past two years.

With Oregon passing a paid sick leave law this month, Hillary Clinton’s championing of the issue, and a number of companies beginning to offer the benefit to hourly workers, some advocates believe there is enough momentum to successfully push for a change in federal policy, the New York Times reported.

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