Congressman Panetta Calls for Hazard Pay and Protections for Essential Workers to Help Address COVID-19 Impact Disparities

SALINAS, CA – Today, Congressman Jimmy Panetta (D-Carmel Valley) joined 41 Members of Congress in sending a letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy supporting hazard pay and required workplace protections for essential frontline blue-collar workers keeping the economy afloat during the COVID-19 crisis. The lawmakers urged Pelosi and McCarthy to require that employers protect workers on the job while providing them with hazard pay in future COVID-19 legislation. The letter was led by Congressman Raúl Grijalva (AZ-03).

The lawmakers wrote, "As the COVID-19 crisis expands so do obvious distinctions between socio-economic classes. While many white-collar professionals can follow social distancing guidelines, essential bluecollar workers are tasked with holding our country together by delivering the hands-on vital services we need to survive. We ask that the next COVID-19 bill require employers take action to protect workers and include premium pay to supplement low-income workers and to ensure this crisis doesn't further exacerbate class inequalities."

"Future legislation should support supplemental pay that reflects the work and hazards these individuals are encountering on a daily basis. Eligibility for the additional pay should include, but not be limited to, health care workers along the spectrum of care, grocery workers, restaurant workers, child care providers, public sector workers (including police, fire, corrections, postal), farmworkers, utility workers, transportation workers, sanitation workers and other hourly employees deemed essential."

The full letter can be found here.