Workers expressed their strong feelings over paid sick days at the state capitol in Hartford Thursday.

"I was sometimes faced with deciding if I should go to work sick and risk infecting others, or as a person working 40 to 60 hours a week, lose needed wages," expressed Terra Martin, a former child care worker.

Current state law requires private employers with more than 50 employees to guarantee 40 paid hours of sick time.

Dozens of people are urging state lawmakers to extend sick leave to all workers. However, small business owners argued that they simply cannot afford it.