- While nearly 80% of all US private sector workers get paid sick leave, only 33% of the bottom 10% receive the benefit (Harvard study).
- Given that most working-poor lack emergency savings, many have continued working while sick with Covid.
- Many front-line employers such as grocery stores have phased out sick leave and hazard pay offered to workers earlier in the pandemic.
- Front-line workers face greater risk from the highly-contagious Omicron variant and customers less likely to wear masks.
