The extent to which workers in America are shielded from infection has varied widely
THIS WEEK American military aircraft took to the skies in several states to “salute” essential workers for their role in the coronavirus pandemic. Some of those workers might grumble that such displays mean little if they are not adequately protected on the job.
Nearly one in four American workers are employed in services. Many forced to stay at home because of the covid-19 pandemic—including restaurant and retail workers—have since been laid off or had their hours cut. But those deemed “essential” by government authorities—such as supermarket cashiers, delivery workers and pharmacists—have continued to work, risking exposure to the coronavirus.
The Centres for Disease Control and Prevention has issued guidance on what firms can do to protect their employees, including temperature checks, providing sanitising facilities, masks and social-distancing. But the Occupational Safety and Health Administration , the agency responsible for ensuring that workplaces are safe, has mostly left employers to their own devices. As a result, the extent to which workers are shielded from infection has varied widely.
Some industries have been more proactive than others. The survey found that hotel workers and pharmacists had relatively good access to gloves and masks. Convenience-store staff and delivery workers were less well provided for. Although two-thirds of big-box stores had introduced new cleaning requirements, only 12% of workers said gloves were required in the workplace, and only 6% were told to wear masks.
The results suggest that many service workers are at risk. Yet few can afford to get sick. Even before the crisis, more than half of service-sector workers had no paid sick leave. Among those without leave, 45% said they would not be able to come up with $400 to cover an unexpected expense or loss of income, such as losing a week’s pay.
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