Economics
How a Coronavirus Test Shortage Threatens Paid Sick Leave Promises
- Lack of diagnosis means some can’t file for paid sick leave
- White House, Congress consider $1.3 trillion stimulus package
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President Donald Trump and Democrats in Congress are promising Americans won’t miss a paycheck if they’re home with coronavirus. But a lack of testing means many can’t get a diagnosis, leaving them in limbo.
The Senate on Wednesday cleared the second major bill responding to the pandemic, providing workers at companies with less than 500 employees up to 12 weeks of paid family and sick leave to deal with coronavirus-related issues. However, with a limited number of kits, health care providers are concentrating their testing efforts on those who’ve been abroad or had contact with an infected person.