Theraflu’s Right to Rest and Recover campaign now in fifth year

WARREN, N.J. — Getting sick shouldn’t force a choice between your health and your paycheck. Yet for nearly 25 million Americans, that’s the reality. Without access to paid sick time, many people feel compelled to work while ill. For caregivers, the challenge is even greater. When you’re responsible for children, aging parents, or loved ones, illness doesn’t slow life down—it adds a “double burden” of caring for yourself and others. In its fifth year, Theraflu’s Right to Rest and Recover campaign advocates for paid sick time for all with exciting developments including:

• New Partnership: Theraflu partnered with Allyson Felix – 5x Olympian, Founder, and Mom – for earned and social promotion to spotlight why the ability to rest and recover when sick should be a right — not a privilege.
• New Research: A national survey conducted by Theraflu and Wakefield reveals staggering statistics:
  • 88% of working caregivers still have to provide support for others when they’re sick.
  • 89% of working caregivers believe the ability to take a sick day should be a right, yet 80% feel they cannot afford to take one.
  • With this double burden, 68% agree that caregiving already feels overwhelming when they’re healthy—and becomes almost unbearable when they’re sick
• Expanded Impact: For the first time, a portion of each Theraflu purchase from January to March and October to December 2026 (peak cold and flu season times) will be donated to nonprofit partner, A Better Balance, up to $250,000. The funds support A Better Balance’s efforts championing paid sick time policies for workers across the U.S.

“Theraflu believes the ability to rest and recover when you’re sick should be a right—not a privilege. Yet the U.S. remains the only industrialized, high-income country that doesn’t guarantee paid sick time, leaving nearly 25 million workers without the support they need," said Karen Bouhadana, Senior Director, Respiratory at Haleon. "Too often, people are forced to choose between their health and their paycheck. For caregivers, that burden is even greater. Our research shows that 80% of working caregivers feel they can’t afford to take a sick day. This isn’t just a workplace issue, it’s a public health and economic reality that impacts families and communities every day," she added.

“This year, Theraflu is continuing to take action through our Right to Rest & Recover initiative by partnering with advocates like A Better Balance to help advance access nationwide, working with voices like Allyson Felix to bring greater awareness to the issue, and giving consumers a way to be part of the solution. Additionally, for the first time, a portion of Theraflu purchases during peak cold and flu seasons this year will help support efforts to expand paid sick time—because everyone deserves the opportunity to truly rest and recover. We’re proud to continue this work and look forward to building on this momentum even to further expand its impact,” Bouhadana concluded.