America's bad paid sick leave policy could make the coronavirus outbreak worse
America’s failure to guarantee paid sick leave for its workers could combine with the coronavirus to pose a serious danger to public health in the coming weeks.
The Covid-19 illness, caused by the coronavirus, is here and likely here to stay for a while. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are warning people to be prepared for major disruptions in their daily lives. That could mean staying home for days if they get sick.
But that is easier said than done for millions of American workers. Employees in the service industry especially, like food workers or personal care assistants, are much less likely than their peers in more lucrative fields to have paid time off if they get sick. But they also make less money in general, meaning a lost day of work hurts their families’ budgets more. That gives them a strong motivation to go into work — even if they’re not feeling well.
And because these workers come in close contact with the rest of humanity, they are a potent vector for spreading contagions, particularly those as infectious as coronaviruses. It’s a recipe for making a bad outbreak even worse, all because America hasn’t decided to guarantee paid sick leave for all workers.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/markets/americas-bad-paid-sick-leave-policy-could-make-the-coronavirus-outbreak-worse/ar-BB10tm4A?li=BBnb7Kz
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