Nevada voters overwhelmingly support requiring businesses to offer paid time off to their employees, according to a new poll released by a progressive group backing the concept in the Legislature.

The poll, conducted by Anzalone Liszt Grove Research on behalf of progressive collective Time to Care Nevada, found an estimated 82 percent of Nevada voters support legislators passing a law requiring employers give earned paid sick leave to their employees. The poll was conducted between January 22 and 27 of 601 registered voters in the state in both English and Spanish, with 53 percent of interviews conducted over cell phones and with a 4 percent margin of error.

In a press call accompanying the release of the poll, Anzalone pollster Molly Murphy said the measure was broadly popular among all demographic groups (including 69 percent of registered Republicans surveyed) and that the concept retained high support even when voters were informed of concerns or additional details about the policy during the poll.

“There is a true appetite for voters to see something happen on this issue,” she said. “Virtually every single demographic group in the state supports this.”

The poll is likely to boost the chances of SB312, a compromise paid sick leave bill that would require employers with more than 50 employees to offer 40 hours of paid leave per year to their employees, with some restrictions on how the leave can be used and how much can be accumulated year-over-year. The measure won support from business groups and left-leaning organizations during a hearing in April and has been declared exempt from legislative deadlines.

Natalie Hernandez, the campaign manager for Time to Care Nevada, said the delay between the poll being conducted and published was to give the coalition time to inform state lawmakers and not “blindside” them by releasing the poll. She said the organization was still discussing the bill — currently sitting in the Senate Finance Committee — and said the poll results should be evidence for legislators to lower the 50 employee exemption down to a lower level.

Murphy also noted that the poll asked respondents to rank the importance of certain issues and that allowing people to earn paid sick days was the second highest issue polled behind “investing in education,” eclipsing other issues such as affordable child care, raising the minimum wage and cutting taxes.

“This is an issue that doesn’t require a lot of persuasion,” she said. “The public is already there.”

The poll also found President Donald Trump’s favorability rating is still underwater in the state, with 44 percent of voters approving of the president and 53 percent disapproving. Voters surveyed in the poll still retain a favorable opinion of Gov. Steve Sisolak, with 47 percent of voters favoring the Democrat, 29 percent disapproving and 23 percent not rating the governor.

Baseline NV Statewide Jan 2019 by Riley Snyder on Scribd