Why paid sick leave is essential to beating coronavirus
Paid sick leave keeps everyone healthier. During a pandemic, it’s a necessity.
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In most developed countries, workers have the right to a certain number of paid sick days. It’s a policy that isn’t rooted in just generosity — during pandemics like the novel coronavirus, it can literally save lives.
When workers have to choose between earning a living and staying home sick, it incentivizes them to come to work when they’re ill, and potentially infect their colleagues and anyone else they come into contact with. That’s why public health officials are concerned that millions of American workers don’t have access to paid sick days. And a disproportionate share of those workers are concentrated in occupations like food service and hospitality, where there’s potential to infect the hundreds of customers many of them interact with every day.
Correction: At 1:18, islands in Canada, Denmark, Japan, Italy, and Australia are missing highlights.
Previous headline: One policy that changes the coronavirus math
Further reading:
The Italian Ministry of Health
https://www.thelocal.it/20200309/map-which-parts-of-italy-are-affected-by-coronavirus-outbreak
World Health Organization
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2019%E2%80%9320_coronavirus_pandemic#/media/File:2020_coronavirus_cases_outside_China.svg
Center for Economic and Policy Research
https://media.milanote.com/p/files/1Jcvmg1vhFTY82/Rt8/CEPR%20-%20paid%20sick%20leave%20in%2022%20countries%20%282020%20update%29.pdf
Pew Research Center
https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2020/03/12/as-coronavirus-spreads-which-u-s-workers-have-paid-sick-leave-and-which-dont/
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prepare/prevention.html
A Better Balance
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
http://archive.jsonline.com/news/statepolitics/33874059.html
Wisconsin State Legislature
https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/2011/proposals/sb23
PR Watch
https://www.prwatch.org/files/ALEC%20Labor%20Business%20Reg%20Subcttee%20Annual%20Mtg%202011.pdf#8
Economic Policy Institute
House Democrats (via CNN)
https://www.cnn.com/2020/03/12/politics/coronavirus-house-economic-bill/index.html
US House of Representatives
https://docs.house.gov/billsthisweek/20200309/BILLS-116hr6201-SUS.pdf
The New York Times
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