NATIONWIDE — Hourly employees at Walmart and Amazon, whose health and safety are at risk as they continue to provide critical food and supplies to families nationwide, will join a press call with the Paid Leave for All campaign to call on Congress and the nation’s top corporate employers to protect the health and safety of essential employees and the public with universal paid leave and health insurance coverage, safety equipment, and to ensure the economic stability of their employees.
Retail giants Amazon and Walmart continue to stay open and profit from this public health crisis, yet both corporations have failed to implement policies that provide all part-time and full-time employees, not just those who contract COVID-19 or must quarantine, with paid sick leave, adequate protective equipment, and comprehensive health coverage during this period for themselves or their families. Despite the heightened risk Walmart and Amazon employees face by continuing to serve the public, neither corporation has instituted hazard pay to adequately compensate people who are putting themselves and their families at risk by working. Additionally, Walmart is hiring an army of 150,000 temporary employees at the same time most of Walmart’s over 500,000 part time employees are clamoring for more hours just to make ends meet and for many, to even qualify for health coverage.
Congress exempted large corporations like Walmart and Amazon from the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (H.R. 6201) legislation that requires businesses provide emergency paid sick and family leave to their workforces. Consequently, millions of working people are likely to go to work sick in fear of losing their job or benefits, adding to the public health care crisis. Retail employees and paid leave advocates are calling on Congress to ensure that the third stimulus third package includes the P.A.I.D. Leave Act, which covers all employers, and to end the exemption for employers of 500 or more.
WHO: Walmart and Amazon employees; Wendy Chun-Hoon, Executive Director of Family Values at Work; and a member of the Executive Team of Paid Leave for All
WHAT: Press call with frontline retail workers who are calling on Amazon and Walmart to take immediate action and publicly commit to universal paid sick leave, health insurance coverage, and job security for all workers.
WHEN: Tuesday, March 24, 2020 at 11:00am EST
DIAL-IN:
1 (866) 451-7962, Audience US Toll Free
1 (847) 944-7130, Audience US Toll
Passcode: 9096 286#
RSVP: Taylor Campbell, [email protected]
Since its launch on March 16, a multi-organization paid sick leave petition has garnered over 45,000 signatures, signaling growing employee momentum for an overhauled sick time policy at the nation’s largest corporate employers.