Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
What If You Can't Stay Home When You're Sick?
The advice is clear, and it鈥檚 repeated often: Stay home if you鈥檙e sick.But what if doing so could cost you your job? Or your rent money?Workers groups around the country are calling for changes in sick leave policies that penalize workers who take time off to recover from an illness. Nationally, only half of the lowest 25 percent of workers get paid sick leave, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. (Freyer and Johnston, 3/10)
Walmart on Tuesday said it is implementing an emergency leave policy for the retailer's 1.4 million hourly workers in response to the coronavirus, saying they'll receive up to two weeks pay if they have to be quarantined or are diagnosed with the illness. The nation's largest private employer also said that if store, warehouse club or distribution center employees are not able to return to work after two weeks, up to 26 weeks of additional pay could be provided for both full- and part-time workers. The policy covers both Walmart and Sam's Club workers no matter when they were hired. (Gibson, 3/10)
Alphabet Inc's Google is recommending all of its North American employees to work from home if their roles permit, the search giant said on Tuesday, aiming to minimize the risk of spreading the coronavirus. The new recommendation is an expansion of a similar guideline it gave to employees in San Francisco Bay area. (3/10)
Most healthcare staffing agencies haven't seen a significant uptick in demand as the coronavirus spreads, although they and the hospitals they serve are preparing accordingly amid an already stretched labor market. It's still uncertain how much demand will swing, but staffing agencies and hospitals are leveraging their crisis teams and disaster protocols in the meantime. If the COVID-19 outbreak grows significantly, it may exacerbate ongoing labor shortages, billing issues and persistent infection-control conundrums. (Kacik and Meyer, 3/10)
Major U.S. airlines announced more cuts to domestic flights Tuesday as demand continued to plunge amid the coronavirus outbreak. The global airline industry could take a hit of up to $113 billion as passenger demand continues to decline, according to the International Air Transport Association. (Kaji, Maile, Benitez and Schnell, 3/10)
Airlines blamed the media for exaggerating the effects of the coronavirus Tuesday, urgently broadcasting that they are "open for business" as travel continues to slump and new numbers suggest the worst may be yet to come for the industry. In a statement Tuesday morning, the trade group Airlines for America said that "false media narratives ... have led to confusion and uncertainty across the country," and argued that it's safe to fly, saying "numerous health officials have affirmed that the risk remains low for travelers who follow CDC guidelines." (Mintz, 3/10)
As the coronavirus continues to spread across the globe, the question of whether to travel, and where it鈥檚 safe to go, has become increasingly complicated. Experts say you need to stay informed. Here, their advice on some of the most pressing questions facing people who might be considering traveling. (Salcedo, 3/10)
