A proposal to guarantee paid sick days for Rhode Island's private sector workers is moving forward in the state General Assembly as worker advocates seek a compromise with business groups.

The Senate Labor Committee is scheduled to consider a compromise measure today.

It's not known if the panel will move the bill on to a vote in the full Senate. A companion bill is pending in the state House of Representatives.

Lawmakers have been negotiating over a scaled-back proposal.

The original legislation would have required employers to provide workers up to seven paid sick days to care for their own health or a family member's health. That could be dropped to five days, matching what's offered in Massachusetts and Connecticut.

Also being debated is an exemption for small business owners.