Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and Representative Ro Khanna (D-CA) released a proposal to codify what they refer to as an “Essential Workers Bill of Rights.” While the plan does not tackle these “rights” in detailed specificity, a few of the issues they would like the proposal to address include:

• Requiring that a premium be paid to essential workers
• Requiring OSHA to issue an emergency temporary standard
• Providing employees with permanent paid sick leave and family and medical leave
• Requiring companies that receive economic assistance from the government to enter into neutrality agreements
• Protecting collective bargaining agreements
• A “Crack down” on worker misclassification

The members of Congress advocating for these proposals are pushing to have them included in future Coronavirus relief legislation packages, and IWLA is monitoring these efforts closely.