Paid Sick Leave During Health Emergencies bill blocked by GOP

[essentialsaltes]

LINK

Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) blocked an attempt by Senate Democrats to quickly pass legislation on Wednesday that would require employers to provide paid sick leave.

The issue of paid sick leave has jumped into the spotlight amid growing concerns about a coronavirus outbreak within the United States. Individuals exposed to the virus are being recommended to quarantine for at least two weeks.

Sen. Patty Murray's (D-Wash.) legislation would require employers give workers 14 days of paid sick leave during public health emergencies. She tried to get unanimous consent on the legislation on Wednesday, which would have it bypass a vote, but Alexander said he could not support the bill.

Note to our foreign friends -- there is no federal requirement for paid sick leave in the US. Go be sick on your own time.

 

[Cimorene]

WHY???????

Ok I can figure out why but I mean this is still just incomprehensibly wrong & dumb I still have to ask.

 

[Isilwen]

Most republicans are the pick yourself back up by your boot straps and just work extra when you're back on your feet kind.

 

[dogs4thewin]

Most republicans are the pick yourself back up by your boot straps and just work extra when you're back on your feet kind.

Republicans usually expect people to be accountable for their own actions. Moreover, this is about mandating sick leave it is already a benefit employers may choose to offer and one which can attract and keep good employees.

 

[JIMINZ]

LINK

Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) blocked an attempt by Senate Democrats to quickly pass legislation on Wednesday that would require employers to provide paid sick leave.

The issue of paid sick leave has jumped into the spotlight amid growing concerns about a coronavirus outbreak within the United States. Individuals exposed to the virus are being recommended to quarantine for at least two weeks.

Sen. Patty Murray's (D-Wash.) legislation would require employers give workers 14 days of paid sick leave during public health emergencies. She tried to get unanimous consent on the legislation on Wednesday, which would have it bypass a vote, but Alexander said he could not support the bill.

Note to our foreign friends -- there is no federal requirement for paid sick leave in the US. Go be sick on your own time.

The U.S.Government does not possess the Authority to mandate a private business to comply with a law like that,

If the Law was enacted for this time of Coronavirus would it automatically be lifted when the threat is gone or the Panic was not as great as it is now?

 

[dogs4thewin]

The U.S.Government does not possess the Authority to mandate a private business to comply with a law like that,

If the Law was enacted for this time of Coronavirus would it automatically be lifted when the threat is gone or the Panic was not as great as it is now?

thank you

 

[comana]

Republicans usually expect people to be accountable for their own actions. Moreover, this is about mandating sick leave it is already a benefit employers may choose to offer and one which can attract and keep good employees.

Apparently Republicans think getting sick is a choice?

 

[Silmarien]

Perhaps "kill 3% of the liberal leaning urban population by destroying attempts to contain an epidemic" is the GOP's new strategy for the 2020 election.

 

[dogs4thewin]

Apparently Republicans think getting sick is a choice?

nope but what IS a choice is preparing to get sick.

 

[Arcangl86]

The U.S.Government does not possess the Authority to mandate a private business to comply with a law like that,

If the Law was enacted for this time of Coronavirus would it automatically be lifted when the threat is gone or the Panic was not as great as it is now?

If it effects interstate commerce it does, and since viruses don't care for state lines, I think it does.

 

[dogs4thewin]

Perhaps "kill 3% of the urban population by destroying attempts to contain an epidemic" is the GOP's new strategy for the 2020 election.

How is that destroying attempts as one places are shutting down and two people are free to stay home if they are ill. Again, this is about MANDATED sick leave not about the choice to offer sick leave, nor about the common sense to stay home if you are too ill to work.

 

[comana]

nope but what IS a choice is preparing to get sick.

And if someone is put on mandatory 14 day quarantine because a customer walked around a store unknowingly infecting other customers and employees? Most workers cannot afford two weeks without pay. How does one “prepare” to be sick?

 

[Arcangl86]

How is that destroying attempts as one places are shutting down and two people are free to stay home if they are ill. Again, this is about MANDATED sick leave not about the choice to offer sick leave, nor about the common sense to stay home if you are too ill to work.

And if you need to work to afford food or rent? Is it so common sense then?

 

[dogs4thewin]

If it effects interstate commerce it does, and since viruses don't care for state lines, I think it does.

It is a PRIVATE business though I think that was the point is that the government is supposed to stay out of the PRIVATE sector.

 

[comana]

How is that destroying attempts as one places are shutting down and two people are free to stay home if they are ill. Again, this is about MANDATED sick leave not about the choice to offer sick leave, nor about the common sense to stay home if you are too ill to work.

The problem is employees without sick leave will go to work because they can’t go without pay. It is in the whole population’s best interest to mandate sick leave so viruses like this can be more easily contained.

 

[dogs4thewin]

And if someone is put on mandatory 14 day quarantine because a customer walked around a store unknowingly infecting other customers and employees? Most workers cannot afford two weeks without pay. How does one “prepare” to be sick?

You save money and live within your means. I am not saying that this is the case with all workers so do not misunderstand when I say that a good number of workers who live paycheck to paycheck and could not afford a pay period without pay is because they use all of their income and do not have savings and so then when it hits the fan ( whether it be something like this or just their company/ business laying people off they get in trouble in a hurry.

 

[dogs4thewin]

The problem is employees without sick leave will go to work because they can’t go without pay. It is in the whole population’s best interest to mandate sick leave so viruses like this can be more easily contained.

If you are sick stay home common sense. Frankly an employer with common sense would SEND you home.

 

[comana]

It is a PRIVATE business though I think that was the point is that the government is supposed to stay out of the PRIVATE sector.

The government has a responsibility to make and enforce regulations/laws that will affect health and safety do they not? The private sector is not exempt from regulations and laws.

 

[Silmarien]

How is that destroying attempts as one places are shutting down and two people are free to stay home if they are ill. Again, this is about MANDATED sick leave not about the choice to offer sick leave, nor about the common sense to stay home if you are too ill to work.

I am currently staying home from work without getting paid because I am privileged enough to be in an economic situation where I can afford to do so until I know what's going on in NYC. A lot of people do not have that opportunity--they cannot make the "common sense" decision to stay home when they're sick because they might not be able to make rent if they aren't getting paid for even a couple of days.

Mandated sick leave is necessary, because otherwise people who cannot afford to stay home are going to hide the fact that they might have coronavirus and will wander around infecting everyone else. This is not "be smart and be responsible." This is a public health emergency. The GOP is either too stupid to figure out how reality works, or they are actively trying to kill us.

 

[Arcangl86]

It is a PRIVATE business though I think that was the point is that the government is supposed to stay out of the PRIVATE sector.

The government intervenes in the actions of the private sector all the time, in order to protect the public good.

 

[Desk trauma]

Perhaps "kill 3% of the liberal leaning urban population by destroying attempts to contain an epidemic" is the GOP's new strategy for the 2020 election.

The the largest vulnerable demographic tends to lean right so....