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Baldwin Asks Trump For Economic Relief For Workers
Senator Tammy Baldwin wants the Trump Administration to help low-wage workers who may be hurt by the coronavirus pandemic. Baldwin asks for economic relief for workers who may see a smaller paycheck because they quarantined themselves, or their job was impacted.
Baldwin says following “social distancing guidelines” may help fight the spread of the virus, but she says it creates “potentially grave economic challenges” for workers who can’t work from home, or who don’t have paid leave. Baldwin says the goal of any economic stimulus should be directly aimed at the two types of workers who will be most harmed.
First, any proposed relief should directly target workers who may have followed medical guidance to self-quarantine because of potential exposure, or those who are required to care for a family member. Second, it should also ensure that workers whose employment or income is significantly jeopardized by industries who may experience the economic slowdown as a consequence of the spread of the virus are appropriately protected.
Further, any mechanism to provide relief must predominately be done as a pass through to workers. The focus should not be on boosting company returns; instead, the focus should be on helping workers, including hourly workers and those workers at small or retail businesses who often don’t have access to short term savings or paid time off.