State Sen. Larry Farnese (D-South Philadelphia) and Rep. Joe Hohenstein (D-Bridesburg) plan to introduce legislation that would provide emergency paid sick leave for Pennsylvanians affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The bills would guarantee re-employment for workers returning from leave; provide emergency paid sick leave for all employees not covered by a federal bill; extend leave for those laid off or whose workplaces have closed; extend paid sick leave for an additional four days to cover the full two-week quarantine period; provide an additional one-third pay rate for those who must take leave to care for a child whose school has closed; and extend family medical leave to all employees at 100 percent wage rate immediately upon starting leave and then an additional one-third pay to fill the gap covered by the Family Medical Leave Act.
The bills enhance the provisions in the federal Families First Coronavirus Response Act that recently advanced the U.S. House.
“It’s time to recognize paid sick and family leave not only as sound and humane economic policy but also as fundamental public health policy,” Hohenstein said. “While we have known this for years, this pandemic should drive home for long-time opponents the need to motivate workers to stay home when sick.”