Dear Majority Leader McConnell, Minority Leader Schumer, Speaker Pelosi and Minority Leader McCarthy:
We are writing on behalf of workers like like Mendy Hughes, a Walmart cashier in Arkansas, and millions like her:
“We’re exposed to hundreds of people who come into Walmart every day. Most of us don’t have paid time off because cashiers are part time. We won’t get the two weeks off with pay unless we have a confirmed case, but it’s hard to get tested. I’m diabetic, so I know it would be harder for me to heal if I did get the virus. But I’m a single parent — I have to work to pay my bills.”
As our nation struggles with the COVID-19 outbreak, we are glad to see recognition from Congress that paid sick days and paid family leave are vital tools for recovery. The pandemic has made painfully clear that the health of all of us depends on the health of each person we come in contact with and each person they’ve come in contact with. We are all better off when every one of us — especially the most vulnerable among us — is able to stay healthy.
And yet, the response packages passed so far left out millions, with the Department of Labor’s rules excluding even more. In addition to first responders and health care providers, those workers include many of the people responsible for growing and preparing our food, scanning and sorting our groceries, putting together and delivering needed supplies, cleaning critical work areas, handling calls for assistance, and much more. Our families matter, our health matters, regardless of the size employer we work for, where we were born, or the kind of work we do. Workers, especially those on the frontlines, deserve all the tools to protect themselves right now, from personal protective equipment to paid leave.
We call on Congress to ensure that the upcoming relief legislation fills the gaps and expands paid sick days and paid leave to cover every worker who needs to get a diagnosis, self-quarantine, deal with the virus, care for a loved one who is ill, or care for children when their schools or child care providers are shut down. Paid family and medical leave provisions need to include time for those seriously ill with the virus and those who provide care for them, in addition to covering families whose children’s schools or childcare providers are closed. The time should be at full pay for each type of usage. Paid leave laws should become a permanent part of our national public health infrastructure.
This is the moment for political leaders to listen not to lobbyists for big corporations, but to the working people who make this country function. Include us and the millions like us. Only then will our nation be on the road to recovery.
Sincerely:
Members of the Worker Advisory Group of Paid Leave for All
Virginia Badillo
Ashley Bostick
Bethany Fauteaux
Kris Garcia
Debbi Simmons Harris
Christina Hayes
Tameka Henry
Pepper Nappo
Heather Oglesby
Permelia Toney-Boss
Margarita Viveros
Community Organizations in support of Paid Leave for All
9to5, National Association of Working Women
9to5 Colorado
9to5 Wisconsin
A Better Balance
A. Phillip Randolph Institute
African American Ministers in Action
AFSCME Council 4 Connecticut
American Postal Workers Union
Asset Building Strategies
Black Women’s Roundtable
Black Women’s Roundtable Eastern Michigan
Breastfeed LA
California Work and Family Coalition
Campaign for a Family Friendly Economy
Caring Across Generations
Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP)
Chicago Foundation for Women
Children’s Defense Fund Southern Regional Office
Citizen Action of New York
Coalition for Social Justice
Coalition of Labor Union Women
Coalition of Labor Union Women Northeast Ohio Chapter
Coalition of Labor Union Women Southeastern PA
Coalition of Human Needs
Collaborative Center for Justice
Corazon Arizona (Faith in Action Network)
Connecticut AFL-CIO
Connecticut Working Families
Connecticut Women’s Education and Legal Fund (CWEALF)
Economic Opportunity Institute
Equal Rights Advocates
Family Friendly Economy Virginia
Family Forward Oregon
Family Values @ Work
Family Voices NJ
Forward Together Action
Georgia’s Coalition for the People’s Agenda
Georgia Stand-Up
Greater New York Labor-Religion Coalition
Greater Washington Urban League (GWUL) Guild
Hawaii Children’s Action Network
HBCU Green Fund
HUD/AFGE 3960
Human Impact Partners
Illinois National Organization for Women
Indiana Coalition Against Domestic Violence
Indiana Institute for Working Families
Institute for Women’s Policy Research
ISAIAH
Jews United for Justice
Just Associations
Kansas Action for Children
Labor Project for Working Families
Legal Aid at Work
Legal Voice
LGBT Center of Raleigh
Main Street Alliance
Main Street Alliance Vermont
Maine Women’s Lobby
Make It Work Nevada
March of Dimes
Massachusetts Teachers Association
MomsRising
Mothering Justice
Mississippi Black Women’s Roundtable
National Congress of Black Women Greater Cleveland Chapter
National Council of Jewish Women
National Domestic Workers Alliance
National Immigration Law Center
National Partnership for Women & Families
North Carolina Council of Churches
North Carolina Justice Center
North Carolina State AFL-CIO
New Jersey Citizen Action
New York State Coalition Against Domestic Violence
Ohio Unity Coalition
Paid Leave for All
Paid Leave for the United States (PL+US)
Pathways Pennsylvania
People’s Action
Poder Latinx
ROC United
Rosie’s Place
Skinner Leadership Institute
SPAN Parent Advocacy Network
Southern Maine Workers’ Center
Southern New England Conference of United Church of Christ
TakeAction Minnesota
Texas Organizing Project
The Economic Progress Institute
The Greenlining Institute
The Women’s Fund of Central Ohio
United Food and Commercial Workers 99
United for Respect
UsAgainstAlzheimer’s
Wisconsin Faith Voices for Justice
Women’s March Connecticut
Women’s Work Goes On
Women Employed
Women’s Justice NOW
Women’s Law Project
Workers Defense Project
West Virginia Center on Budget and Policy
Community Supporters of Paid Leave for All
Jioelyna Abreu
Afnan Adam
Lauren Agoratus
Elizabeth Agosto
Dawn Albanese
Catherine Albiston
Lindsay Aldworth
Kathleen Algire
Kelly Allen
Catherine Alves
Melissa Anim
Eileen Appelbaum
Brigitte Arduini
Angenette Arnold
Brenda Aron
Taneesha Askew
Ellen Atkinson
Katherine Austin-Evelyn
Diana Autin
Crystal Avera
E. Awotoye
Diane Babineaux
Molly Ballerstein
Monifa Bandele
Jody Barr
Georgeangel Barreras
Carol Barton
Juanita Barton
Keith Bates
Gina Bates
Rosemary Bayer
Elaine Becker
Marianne Bellesorte
Rich Benham
Heather Benjamin
Salandra Benton
Donna Benton
Jennifer Berigan
Denise Berkley
Sari Bilick
Maryjane Black
Joy Blackwood
Al Blake
Joanna Blotner
Joseph Blum
Diana Boesch
Leona Bombaci
Pemelia Boss
Derrick Boss
Jacob Boss
Mack Boss
Ronald Boss
M. Boss
Inger Bostick
Tammie Botelho
Claudia Bowen-Hosten
Lindsey Boylan
Susan Bramlet Lavin
LaToya Brannen
Ellen Bravo
Andrea Breau
Sandra Brewton
Lesley Brewton
Sarah Bromley
Clayola Brown
Gabbie Buendia
Erica Buie
Shane Burgo
Thomas Burr
Helen Butleer
Antonio Butler
Charlesetta Bynes
Melanie Campbell
Marsha Campbell
Jessica Carpenter
Charles Carpenter
Barbara Carreker
Carolyn Carroll
Jim Case
Mary Casey
Dillon Cathro
Neal Celley
Stephanie Chang
Judith Cherry
Kimberly Christensen
Wendy Chun-Hoon
Debbra Chymiak-Isanhart
Winsse Cirujales
Tara Clarke
TaNesha Cleveland
Destiny Collins
Elise Collins
Alicia Contreras
Yvonne Conwell
Michelle Cooper
Mary Cooper
Jennifer Copeland
John Cox
Wayne Craig
Rebecca Cramer
Steve Cripe
Sue Cripe
Carol Crooks
Dan D’Astugues
Edward Daniel
Justine Davenport
Felicia Davis
Mary Lou Davis
Samone Davis
Karen Davis
Felicia Davis
Sandra Davoll
Brenda Dawson
Bartley Deason
Cheryl Denis
Diane DiFante
Steve Ditore
Sandra Dobbins
Peggy Dobbins
Donna Dolan
Charmaine Doran
Karla Doremus-Tranfield
Raven Dorsey
Joyce Dow
Thomas Doyle
Meghan Dubois
Mayanah Dukes
Terry Dycus
Karen Eddinger
Aubretia Edick
Christal Egel
Lori Eldreth
Gretchen Elias
Cherita Ellens
Sharon Ellison
Rosalyn Epstein
Victor Escobar
Solomon Esquivel
Miriam Estrada
Nia Evans
Katherine Eyster
Elianne Farhat
Debra Fastino
Michelle Fay
Kathleen Fedarcyk
Eric Feigl-Ding
Rabbi Michael Feinberg
Colleen Finell
Susan Firestone
Oleta Fitzgerald
Terry Fitzgerald
Rachel Flum
Lorraine Fontana
Eduardo Fontes
Donna Fotiadis
Matthew Franck
Peggy Frankie
Onika Fraser
Truth Freemyn
Joyce Frohn
Terry Fromson
Omri Frost
Mike Frost
Patricia Frost Brooks
Margaret Fulkerson
Sherrill Futrell
Nathan Gabel
Kathy Gade
Joleen Garcia
Jacob Garcia
Vanessa Garcia
Linda Garcia Barnard
Doreen Gardner
Suzette Gardner
Charlesetta Gary
Jack Gattanella
Erika Geiss
Joan Gerhardt
Jenna Gerry
Dan Gilbarg
Terry Gips
Angela Given
Joe Glaston
Cody Goin
Gayle Goldin
Tanya Goldman
Joey Gomes
Ana Gonzalez
Jonathan Gonzalez
Annie Good
Debra Gore-Mann
Lesli Gould
Claire Goyer
Christopher Graeber
Maddie Granato
Ruth Gray
Pamela Gray-Mason
Girshriela Green
Cheryl Greene
Jennifer Greenfield
Layne Gregory
Janie Grice
Georgia Guida
Peter Gunther
Harriet Hadley
Jessie Hahn
Monica Halas
Marcia Halligan
Bridgete Hammerstone
Mary Hammond
Cappy Harmon
Barbara Harper
Breena Harrell
Victoria Harris
Carolyn Haupt
Jeff Hayes
Deirdre Healy
Ariane Hegewisch
Win Heimer
Tiffany Hemmings-Prather
Mia Hemstad
Lisa Henner
Jacqueline Herran
Lacey Hicks
Amy Hines-Shaikh
Charlyn Hitchens
Patricia Hobson Wilson
Destie Hohman Sprague
Betty Holcomb
Christine Holden
Erin Holloway
Darcy Skye Holoweski
Robin Hosemann
Dawn Huckelbridge
Amanda Huggon-Mauretti
Tamara Hunter
Laura Huss
Kate Hutchens
Melissa Lannuzzi
Daniel Ibarra
Letetia Jackson
Erin Jenkins
Markiesha Johnson
Trina Johnson
Elishia Johnson
Moranna Jones
Tracy Jones
Delvonna Jones
Sandra Joos
Lois Jordan
Drew Christopher Joy
Carol Joyner
Amy Joyner
Kara Kaikini
Ankita Kanakadandila
Andrew Kashyap
Danielle Kay
Hugh Keleher
Caroline Keller
Jeffery Kennamann
Tanya Ann Kennedy
Heather Kessler
Kelly Kibbe
Deirdre Kiely
Phil Kirkland
Jeff Klein
Celeste Klima
Karl Koessel
Denise Korn
Elizabeth Kozlowski
Mike Krouse
Jon Krueger
Cassie Kubina
Lauren Kuby
Twila Kuperus
Sarah Labadie
Cheryl Lamb
John Langevin
Paul Lapidus
Luis Larin
Michelle Lasley
Shederick Law
Krystal Leaphart
Stephanie Leighton
Sherry Leiwant
Bobbi Lempert
Alexander Levey
Marcel Liberge
Ashley Lidow
Demetria Lightfoot-Boss
Sarita Lilly
Kathy Lipscomb
Jakayla Lipsey
Sam Lisenbe
Thomas Littelmann
Kerri Little
Kate Logan
Sharon Longyear
Chris Loo
Audrey Lorea
Cindy Lucero
Lindsey Lughes
Diana Lugo-Martinez
Jon Luongo
Peter Lurie
Tom Lux
Edward Luz Jr.
Erin Macey
Anita Madison
Andrew Madras
Catherine Madsen
Coraminita Mahr
Sharmili Majmudar
Tashena Malloy
Dwight Malone
Tania Malven
Bob Mandel
Natosha Manning-Rollins
Rachel Mannino
Marilyn Mannino
Namatie Mansaray
Rabbi Bonnie
Margulis Jeron
Mariani Elizabeth
Marin Elizabeth
Marler Jshauntae
Marshall Ruth
Martin C.
Nicole Mason
Stephanie Mathews
Sharon Matzek
Louise McClure
Heather McCulloch
Molly McGovern
Thomas McIntyre
James McLaughlin
MaryBe McMillan
Dianne McMillion
Jennifer McPherson
Vicki Meath
Rachel Melendes
Juan Mendez
Karen Mensel
Harold Meyer, Jr.
Beth Mikus
Michael Miller
Jamie Mills
Logan Mills
Stephanie Mitchell
Brad Mitchell
Territa Mongo
Stephanie Monroe
Folasade Moonsammy
Stephanie Moore
Nicki Moore
Janine Moore
Andrea Moore
Teria Moore-Berry
Jennifer Morales
Melanie Morales
Maria Moreno
Carlos Moreno
Erika Moritsugu
Ivy Morris
Kevin Morton
Dena Mottola Jaborska
Michele Mudrick
Lauren Murfree
Cynthia Murray
Terri Myette
Shelley Najera
Merrie Najimy
Lars Negstad
Beverly Neufeld
Kelly Nevins
Grace Nichols
Morgan Nichols
Diane North
Jennifer O’Connell
Margaret O’Shea
Lynnette O’Stewart
Elizabeth Odunsi
Heather Oglesby
Kathryn O’Neal
Susan Orlofsky
Sonia Ossorio
Christina Otto
Tiana Outram
Robert Overholt
Mignon Owens-Samuels
Diana Painter
Laura Palino
Arissa Palmer
Andrea Paluso
Ashley Panelli
Ciara Pannell
Rachael Pappano
Ana Pardo
Stephanie Parker
Whitney Parrish
Shoshannah Pass
Urvi Patel
Dwayne Paul
Antonia Paul
Tia Pearson
Allyne Pecevich
Janet Peck
Cora-Dorothy Peirce
Zakary Pereira
Jessica Pereira
Clara Perka
Whitney Pesek
Janis Petzel
Nija Phelps
Susan Phenix
Justin Philipps
Sandi Pifer
Dawn Pile
Tracy Plants
Marlene Pollock
Elizabeth Powell
Oriana Powell
Sandra Priebe
Candice Quarles
Louise Quigley
Sara Quintal
Lisa Rahn
Elizabeth Ramirez
Socorro Ramos-Aviles
Tameka Ramsey
Naomi Randolph-Hwesuhunu
Janet Rapoza
Jewel Reddick
Heather Reed
Rex Reid
Jason Resendez
Thomas Reynolds
Ethel Richards
Emily Ricks
Shaunna Riddick
Robert Riley
Samantha Rini
William Ritchie
Jeannie Roberts
Allan Rodgers
Sherry Rogers
Tara Romano
Rita Rooney
Carol Rosenblatt
Debbie Rosenman
Deborah Rosenstein
Augusta Rosenthal
Nicole Rothgeb
Margarita Rozenfeld
Gloria Saddler
Jason Samuels
Yadira Sanchez
Doreen Sanchez
Stephanie Sandy
Amanda Sanks
Anabel Santiago
Cheri Santos
Donald Sarkady
Hal Saunders
George Scharpf
Antoinette Schneeberg
Rachel Schneider
Chris Schutt
Elizabeth Schwartz
Nan Scinta
Maxine Sclar
Deborah Scott
Amanda Sears
Hannah Seligman
Marrisa Senteno
Donna Seymour
April Shabazz
Christina Sharpe
Jo Shifrin
Jeena Siela
Berta Silva
Robin Simpkins
Ariel Singleton
Joan Sitnick
Justice Skidmore
Lauren Skirball
Betsy Smith
Stephanie Soressi
Nabila Sosa
George Sprague
Jeremy Sprinkle
Jessica Stender
Taylor Stessney
Dawn Stewart
Andrea Straub
Gale Strong
Joan Suarez
TaNeashia Sudds
Claudella Suggs
Rosemary Sullivan
Alexa Sydor-Czartorysky
Pierrette ‘Petee’ Talley
Barbara Taylor
Sarah Thibodeau
Josh Thompson
Linda Tift
Alia Todd
Genesis Torres
Carlha Toussaint
Sarah Trayers
Jaytricia Tremel
Saya Tse
Jenna Tucker
Jennifer Tucker
JulieAnne Turino
Lauren Tuttle
Sheila Tyson
Jon Valbert
Diana Valencia
Antonia Vasquez
Christine Vazquez
Lisa Veneklasen
Adrian Ventura
April Vieira
John Vogel
Deborah Voves
Brian Walsh
Jo Walters
Jennifer Wanner
Christina Warden
Richard Washbourne
Erika Washington
Marilyn Watkins
Leslie Watson Wilson
Jon Wegienek
Deborah Weinstein
Cassandra Welchlin
Susan Weliky
Aisha Wells
Maci Wescott
Beau Weston
Christina White
Yvonne White
Alcinia Whiters
Deborah Whitlock
Olive Wilbur
Elizabeth Williams
Monique Williams
Barbara Williams-Skinner
Yarrow Willman-Cole
John Wilson
Annette Wilson
Levon Winns
Harry Woodcock
Angela Woodson
Cathy Wootan
Rose Wyatt
Nancy Yarbrough
Gabrielle Yates
Violet Young
Filipe Zamborlini
Cathy Zeiner
Victor Zeller
Andrea Zuniga