Healthcare Workers are Exempt from Paid Leave Protections Amid COVID-19 Pandemic

Congress passed emergency legislation requiring businesses with fewer than 500 employees to give ten days of paid leave to those who are or may be infected by COVID-19, are taking care of someone who is sick from the virus, or are unable to find childcare during the pandemic. An article in the Texas Tribune notes that emergency responders and health care providers are notably exempt from the paid leave protections, which means that many health care workers feel the need to report to work regardless of their circumstances. In an interview with the publication, Teresa Valderrama compared health care workers to those in combat who come “under fire because that’s the nature of their job.” She notes that “[w]hile many ordinary citizens have a right not be shot at, unfortunately our combat troops- part of their undertaking in defense of the rest of us in this nation – is to take on the risk that they may come under fire.”

To read the article, visit the Texas Tribune.