WASHINGTON — A week ago, the idea that Congress would guarantee paid sick leave to all American workers seemed little more than a progressive dream.
Now, the push to make paid sick leave mandatory has become a focal point of the coronavirus pandemic response on Capitol Hill, as even the Trump administration endorses the notion that all workers must be able to stay home when they’re sick to stop coronavirus from spreading.
The U.S. has no federal law requiring a minimum amount of paid leave, and about 32 million workers who have no sick days must choose between collecting a paycheck or staying home when they’re ill. California law requires employers to offer a minimum of three days a year of paid sick leave.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is negotiating with the Trump administration on legislation to combat the virus, including paid sick leave requirements.
Sick leave wasn’t part of the initial $8.3 billion emergency funding package that Congress passed last week, to the chagrin of many progressive Democrats and activists. Since then, however, coronavirus cases have ballooned to more than 1,000 in the U.S. and the death toll has hit 32.
Fremont Rep. Ro Khanna, a vocal supporter of paid sick leave legislation, said he’s not surprised how quickly the issue has gained momentum in Congress because “it’s obvious that people are hurting.”
“We shouldn’t be forcing people to choose between putting food on the table for their family and risking their own health and safety,” he told The Chronicle.
On Wednesday, Senate Republicans swatted down an effort led by Sen. Patty Murray, D-Washington, to pass an emergency paid sick leave bill. GOP lawmakers have rebuffed several similar efforts since 2004.
But that was probably just the start of the debate. The Trump administration said Tuesday that it would support sick leave assistance for hourly wage workers. That could be part of economic-stimulus legislation, which needs Democrats’ support to pass.
“We’re going to work to make sure that hourly workers don’t feel like you have to go to work sick because you’re risking a paycheck,” Vice President Mike Pence said at a news conference Tuesday.
The details of a coronavirus package are still being worked out. Pelosi and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin spoke briefly on the phone Wednesday about a possible deal, according to her spokesman.
Pelosi, D-San Francisco, gave few details about the negotiations, telling reporters, “I think we’ve had a very positive conversation.”
The White House has focused more on its push to pass a payroll tax cut, a proposition many Democrats have rejected outright. That clash of priorities could delay a deal.
Health officials urge people with flu-like symptoms to stay home to slow the coronavirus, which is spread through respiratory droplets. But for more than about a quarter of the U.S. workforce, that could mean losing pay. Lower-paid service industry workers such as waiters, cashiers, cooks and hotel cleaners are the least likely to have paid leave.
Some states and cities have enacted laws similar to California’s requirement that workers be offered at least three days a year of paid sick leave. Still, those guarantees might not be enough amid the outbreak.
Most other developed countries, particularly those in Western Europe, require employers to provide a minimum of one week’s leave for the flu, and up to several weeks for more serious illnesses.
Jenna Stearns, an economics professor at UC Davis, has studied the impact of paid sick leave policies on public health. She said paid leave actually improves workplace productivity, because employees stay away rather than showing up and infecting colleagues.
The public health benefits of providing paid leave “outweigh any concerns about playing hooky or shirking from work,” Stearns said.
Murray’s bill, which GOP senators rejected Wednesday, would have required employers to allow workers to accrue up to seven days’ paid leave, and an automatic 14 days if there is a public health emergency. Although Republicans blocked the emergency legislation, it can still be attached to another bill.
Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., led the effort to block the emergency bill. He said that although paid leave is a good idea, “Washington, D.C., should pay for it,” given the cost to employers.
Murray told lawmakers that while Democrats’ fight for paid sick leave isn’t new, the stakes are higher: “Right now, this choice has unique and potentially dire consequences.”
Dustin Gardiner is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: dustin.gardiner@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @dustingardiner
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