If there is silver lining to the COVID-19 pandemic, it is clear vision. It has revealed the deep class, race, and gender inequalities in the United States. It has also allowed us to see what we have been missing: a set of employment protections that are up to combatting the economic and health crisis. Two key missing features are paid sick days and job-guaranteed paid family and medical leaves that cover time off for serious employee health conditions, for pregnancy, and for bonding with a new child or taking care of an ill relative. Employers can provide this benefit, but there is no federal policy that requires them to do so. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that in March 2019, 24 percent of all workers did not have any paid sick days, while 81 percent had no paid family leave.
