Elizabeth Warren Proposes “Worker Bill of Rights”

Business Insider originally reported on Warren's plan:

Sen. Elizabeth Warren unveiled a 10-point "Bill of Rights" plan for essential workers on Monday urging higher wages and universal sick pay.

Joined by Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna in the House, Warren called on Congress to go far beyond the $2.2 trillion coronavirus relief package that was approved by President Trump last month.

Warren said employees deemed essential during the pandemic — such as grocery store employees, health workers, and child care providers — deserve a range of additional benefits to protect their health and wellbeing.

"Frontline workers are risking their lives to keep America running," Warren said in a tweet. "We can't rely on big business to protect them."

The plan would compel employers to provide protective gear to their workers and notify those who may have been exposed to an infected colleague. It would also provide essential workers access to free healthcare and implement protections for whistleblowers who shed light on unsafe working conditions.

The proposal also calls for Congress to implement 14 days of paid sick leave and up to 12 weeks of family and medical leave for essential workers — as well as "robust premium pay" that's retroactive from the beginning of the pandemic.

Check out the latest on Twitter regarding the Senator's proposal:

Boston.com added the following:

Elizabeth Warren says the next coronavirus relief package should “put all workers front and center.” But the Massachusetts senator is also proposing a slate of new protections for those who don’t have the luxury of staying at home during the pandemic.

Warren and California Rep. Ro Khanna unveiled an “Essential Workers Bill of Rights” on Monday aimed at boosting protections and benefits for the employees most exposed to COVID-19.

Experts say between 49 million and 62 million Americans are employed by industries designated as “essential” by the federal government. And while health care employees are viewed to be at the greatest risk of contracting the disease, the list also includes other “frontline” workers whose jobs continue to require them to be in close contact with other people during the outbreak, from grocery store workers and janitors to truck drivers and transportation employees to government and child care workers.

“Essential workers are the backbone of our nation’s response to coronavirus,” said Warren, who has called on Congress to end its weeks-long recess to pass additional legislation in response to the economic and public health crises wrought by the pandemic.

The federal government has issued some guidance for workers in the food retail industry, but Warren and Khanna want Congress to strengthen and expand those policies in the next relief package,

Their “Essential Workers Bill of Rights” proposal would require employers to provide all frontline workers with personal protective equipment and robust hazard pay “retroactive to the start date of the pandemic.” It would create a program to require — and reimburse — employers to provide up to 14 days of paid sick leave and 12 weeks of paid family and medical leave during the public health crisis.

The proposed “bill of rights” commits federal funding for free health care coverage and high-quality child care for essential workers. In the midst of the national emergency, Warren and Khanna also called on Congress to “crack down” on the practice of employers “misidentifying” workers as independent contractors, in order to afford those in the so-called “gig economy” basic employment protections. In addition, their proposal would affirm collective bargaining and whistleblower rights during the outbreak.

“In an age of automation, we are reminded of the dignity and importance of work that is not remote,” Khanna said. “This crisis needs to open our eyes to the value of workers who are often invisible, and we need to give them the pay and benefits they deserve.”

Interestingly, many are beginning to wonder why Warren hasn't thrown her support behind Biden. During her campaign, Warrent typically fell on the more left-leaning side with Sanders. Sanders, however, has since stated his support for Biden's presidential bid.

Take a look at some of the tweets questioning Warren's lack of support for Biden: