In a letter to congressional leadership, two Michigan representatives are calling for worker protections and workplace safety measures to be in place as states begin opening back up.
Michigan congresswomen Rashida Tlaib and Debbie Dingel are calling for worker protection and safety guidance to be included in the latest coronavirus package.
Dingell said she’d like to see permanent standards from the Occupational Health and Safety Administration.
“What there has to be is thoughtful, real conversation about how you keep physical distance, what equipment is going to be needed, how do you screen for potential contagiousness, and how do you keep the worker safe in the workplace.”
Dingell said worker protections need to include masks, regular testing, and plexiglass dividers.
“The cost of doing business for most businesses now is going to be including providing a mask to its workers but particularly in plant sites and commercial locations.”
Dingell said paid sick leave could be essential to keep workers from coming in if they, or someone they live with, comes down with the virus.
She said the world has changed and people should prepare to protect themselves anytime they go out in public.