SUBSCRIBE TO OUR FREE NEWSLETTER
Daily news & progressive opinion—funded by the people, not the corporations—delivered straight to your inbox.
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
U.S. Speaker of the House Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) is followed by members of the media on her way back to her office after a briefing at the U.S. Capitol March 13, 2020 in Washington, DC. Speaker Pelosi held a briefing on the Coronavirus Aid Package Bill that will deal with the outbreak of COVID-19. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)
Paid Sick Leave Loopholes: 'There's a Giant Hole in Pelosi's Coronavirus Bill'
"In fact, the bill guarantees sick leave only to about 20 percent of workers."
Mar 14, 2020
Early Saturday morning the US House of Representatives voted 363-40 to pass a coronavirus relief package, days after the World Health Organization declared the virus a pandemic. The US Senate won't take the bill up until at least Monday, because Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell decided to give Senators the weekend off.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is facing widespread criticism Saturday for misrepresenting what the legislation would actually do.
In a letter to her Democratic colleagues Saturday Pelosi wrote:
"I am very proud to write that the provisions we put forth with your input, including paid sick leave, paid family and medical leave, enhanced Unemployment Insurance, food security initiatives and free and widespread testing, are all included in this agreement. "
The New York Times editorialized Saturday afternoon:
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi early Saturday celebrated passage of legislation she described as providing paid sick leave to American workers affected by the coronavirus.
She neglected to mention the fine print.
In fact, the bill guarantees sick leave only to about 20 percent of workers. Big employers like McDonald's and Amazon are not required to provide any paid sick leave, while companies with fewer than 50 employees can seek hardship exemptions from the Trump administration.
"If you are sick, stay home," Vice President Mike Pence said at a news conference on Saturday afternoon. "You're not going to miss a paycheck."
But that's simply not true. Sick workers should stay home, but there is no guarantee in the emergency legislation that most of them will get paid.
The White House and congressional Republicans, who insisted on the exemptions as the price of bipartisan support for the legislation, bear the primary responsibility for the indefensible decision to prioritize corporate profits in the midst of a public health emergency...
The House's failure to require universal paid sick leave is an embarrassment that endangers the health of workers, consumers and the broader American public.
\u201cThere is a death star sized hole in the paid leave bill because Republicans insisted on exempting about 80 percent of workers from it and Dems capitulated. https://t.co/SpY0Ks37I7\u201d— Adam Serwer \ud83c\udf5d (@Adam Serwer \ud83c\udf5d) 1584209020
\u201cPelosi\u2019s paid sick leave bill applies to only 20 percent of American workers. What is the point of the Democratic Party?\u201d— Alex Sammon (@Alex Sammon) 1584207453
\u201cProps to @nytopinion for calling out @SpeakerPelosi for inadequate action. \u201cThe House\u2019s failure to require universal paid sick leave is an embarrassment that endangers the health of workers, consumers and the broader American public.\u201d https://t.co/qnltnsa3lx\u201d— Ben Spielberg (@Ben Spielberg) 1584208307
Why Your Ongoing Support Is Essential
Donald Trump’s attacks on democracy, justice, and a free press are escalating — putting everything we stand for at risk. We believe a better world is possible, but we can’t get there without your support. Common Dreams stands apart. We answer only to you — our readers, activists, and changemakers — not to billionaires or corporations. Our independence allows us to cover the vital stories that others won’t, spotlighting movements for peace, equality, and human rights. Right now, our work faces unprecedented challenges. Misinformation is spreading, journalists are under attack, and financial pressures are mounting. As a reader-supported, nonprofit newsroom, your support is crucial to keep this journalism alive. Whatever you can give — $10, $25, or $100 — helps us stay strong and responsive when the world needs us most. Together, we’ll continue to build the independent, courageous journalism our movement relies on. Thank you for being part of this community. |
Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
Early Saturday morning the US House of Representatives voted 363-40 to pass a coronavirus relief package, days after the World Health Organization declared the virus a pandemic. The US Senate won't take the bill up until at least Monday, because Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell decided to give Senators the weekend off.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is facing widespread criticism Saturday for misrepresenting what the legislation would actually do.
In a letter to her Democratic colleagues Saturday Pelosi wrote:
"I am very proud to write that the provisions we put forth with your input, including paid sick leave, paid family and medical leave, enhanced Unemployment Insurance, food security initiatives and free and widespread testing, are all included in this agreement. "
The New York Times editorialized Saturday afternoon:
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi early Saturday celebrated passage of legislation she described as providing paid sick leave to American workers affected by the coronavirus.
She neglected to mention the fine print.
In fact, the bill guarantees sick leave only to about 20 percent of workers. Big employers like McDonald's and Amazon are not required to provide any paid sick leave, while companies with fewer than 50 employees can seek hardship exemptions from the Trump administration.
"If you are sick, stay home," Vice President Mike Pence said at a news conference on Saturday afternoon. "You're not going to miss a paycheck."
But that's simply not true. Sick workers should stay home, but there is no guarantee in the emergency legislation that most of them will get paid.
The White House and congressional Republicans, who insisted on the exemptions as the price of bipartisan support for the legislation, bear the primary responsibility for the indefensible decision to prioritize corporate profits in the midst of a public health emergency...
The House's failure to require universal paid sick leave is an embarrassment that endangers the health of workers, consumers and the broader American public.
\u201cThere is a death star sized hole in the paid leave bill because Republicans insisted on exempting about 80 percent of workers from it and Dems capitulated. https://t.co/SpY0Ks37I7\u201d— Adam Serwer \ud83c\udf5d (@Adam Serwer \ud83c\udf5d) 1584209020
\u201cPelosi\u2019s paid sick leave bill applies to only 20 percent of American workers. What is the point of the Democratic Party?\u201d— Alex Sammon (@Alex Sammon) 1584207453
\u201cProps to @nytopinion for calling out @SpeakerPelosi for inadequate action. \u201cThe House\u2019s failure to require universal paid sick leave is an embarrassment that endangers the health of workers, consumers and the broader American public.\u201d https://t.co/qnltnsa3lx\u201d— Ben Spielberg (@Ben Spielberg) 1584208307
Early Saturday morning the US House of Representatives voted 363-40 to pass a coronavirus relief package, days after the World Health Organization declared the virus a pandemic. The US Senate won't take the bill up until at least Monday, because Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell decided to give Senators the weekend off.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is facing widespread criticism Saturday for misrepresenting what the legislation would actually do.
In a letter to her Democratic colleagues Saturday Pelosi wrote:
"I am very proud to write that the provisions we put forth with your input, including paid sick leave, paid family and medical leave, enhanced Unemployment Insurance, food security initiatives and free and widespread testing, are all included in this agreement. "
The New York Times editorialized Saturday afternoon:
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi early Saturday celebrated passage of legislation she described as providing paid sick leave to American workers affected by the coronavirus.
She neglected to mention the fine print.
In fact, the bill guarantees sick leave only to about 20 percent of workers. Big employers like McDonald's and Amazon are not required to provide any paid sick leave, while companies with fewer than 50 employees can seek hardship exemptions from the Trump administration.
"If you are sick, stay home," Vice President Mike Pence said at a news conference on Saturday afternoon. "You're not going to miss a paycheck."
But that's simply not true. Sick workers should stay home, but there is no guarantee in the emergency legislation that most of them will get paid.
The White House and congressional Republicans, who insisted on the exemptions as the price of bipartisan support for the legislation, bear the primary responsibility for the indefensible decision to prioritize corporate profits in the midst of a public health emergency...
The House's failure to require universal paid sick leave is an embarrassment that endangers the health of workers, consumers and the broader American public.
\u201cThere is a death star sized hole in the paid leave bill because Republicans insisted on exempting about 80 percent of workers from it and Dems capitulated. https://t.co/SpY0Ks37I7\u201d— Adam Serwer \ud83c\udf5d (@Adam Serwer \ud83c\udf5d) 1584209020
\u201cPelosi\u2019s paid sick leave bill applies to only 20 percent of American workers. What is the point of the Democratic Party?\u201d— Alex Sammon (@Alex Sammon) 1584207453
\u201cProps to @nytopinion for calling out @SpeakerPelosi for inadequate action. \u201cThe House\u2019s failure to require universal paid sick leave is an embarrassment that endangers the health of workers, consumers and the broader American public.\u201d https://t.co/qnltnsa3lx\u201d— Ben Spielberg (@Ben Spielberg) 1584208307
We've had enough. The 1% own and operate the corporate media. They are doing everything they can to defend the status quo, squash dissent and protect the wealthy and the powerful. The Common Dreams media model is different. We cover the news that matters to the 99%. Our mission? To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. How? Nonprofit. Independent. Reader-supported. Free to read. Free to republish. Free to share. With no advertising. No paywalls. No selling of your data. Thousands of small donations fund our newsroom and allow us to continue publishing. Can you chip in? We can't do it without you. Thank you.