The spreading coronavirus outbreak poses a double-barreled threat to U.S. worker...
NEW YORK/WASHINGTON - The spreading coronavirus outbreak poses a double-barreled threat to U.S. workers who face not only the prospect of lost wages if they are forced to stay home during a quarantine but also a fragile safety net to fall back on during such a crisis.
Low-wage and part-time workers in particular are likely to lack some of the workplace benefits that make it possible for them to stay home if they contract the flu-like illness or if they need to care for a family member who becomes sick. The U.S. Labor Department says 71% of American workers do not have the option of working from home. Many of those people may work in the services, retail or healthcare sectors, or for companies that don’t provide paid sick leave.
Those with white-collar jobs, including in finance and management, are the most likely to have paid sick leave. The Family and Medical Leave Act requires some companies provide unpaid sick leave for an employee to care for a family member, but just a handful of statesLost wages from having to stay home will put a hole in most low-income families' budgets.
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