This week, Congresswoman Annie Kuster (NH-02) cosponsored paid sick leave legislation that would provide paid sick days to workers affected by the coronavirus outbreak and future public health emergencies. The legislation, which builds off the Healthy Families Act, would enable all workers to accumulate seven days of paid sick leave and require employers to grant an additional 14 days of sick leave in the event of a public health emergency. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) has introduced companion legislation in the Senate.

“It’s critical to the health and wellbeing of our communities that people who are sick are able to stay home to prevent the spread of illnesses including coronavirus,” said Rep. Kuster. “Unfortunately, many workers can’t afford to do this because missing work means jeopardizing their job or going without pay. This legislation will protect Americans from being forced to choose between the health of colleagues and their financial wellbeing. In light of the current public health threat of coronavirus, this bill is needed now more than ever – I strongly urge my colleagues to support this commonsense measure.”

Congresswoman Kuster has been an outspoken advocate for paid family and sick leave and is a cosponsor of H.R. 1784, the Healthy Families Act. According to a recent study by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 27 percent of private-sector workers don’t have paid sick days and will go without pay if they are not able to show up for work. In addition to requiring employers to provide paid sick leave to their employees, this legislation also ensures that that leave covers days when a worker’s child’s school is closed due to a public health emergency, when an employer is closed because of a public health emergency, or if a worker/worker’s family member is quarantined due to a public health emergency.

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