Workers who get infected with the coronavirus in Los Angeles could soon get paid to stay home.
A city council motion is pushing to use up to $25 million in COVID-19 relief money to create a “wage-replacement program” to encourage sick workers to quarantine and avoid infecting others.
The plan is mostly aimed to prevent low-income workers and immigrants who are most likely to still work in public if sick — with the cash paid no matter their “immigration status, housing status or criminal record,” Councilmember David Ryu said in his motion Wednesday.
Sick workers would get a minimum of two weeks’ pay if they commit to self-isolating and helping contact tracers, Ryu’s motion said.
“The only way out of this crisis is through increased testing and staying home if you’re sick,” Ryu said, as cases continue to soar across the region.
“But you can’t do that if you can’t afford to lose a paycheck or you can’t receive federal aid. Too many Angelenos are being forced into an impossible choice.
“If we want to bend the curve, we need to make it possible for everyone to stay home when they’re sick – no matter their income or immigration status.”
With 10 million residents, the county has the largest single chunk of COVID-19 cases in California, with more than 183,000 confirmed cases and more than 4,500 deaths.
On Wednesday, the county reported more than 4,800 additional cases and a daily record of 91 deaths.
With Post Wires