Now, it's been a few years, so it's time to add the paid part in. If they can't get it passed through Congress, they go to their two prong approach: Start hitting the state legislatures where they have the best chances of pushing it through, and also start going through the courts, looking for a sympathetic judge who will, at a minimum, force it to be considered.
After they get a few states to pass it, they'll use them as examples as to how it should be national (not fair for the people of one state to have paid sick leave and neighbor states not!!).
It's how politics work. Repubs should try it.
Republicans should just disband, let the Dems completely crash the system, then snatch control when they rebuild the nation and cut them out. It’s the only way you will teach the mass of idiots out there.