Essential workers can’t work from home. Essential workers are exposed to Omicron every day. Essential workers who get Omicron must quarantine for 5 days. Essential workers who run out of sick days can’t afford to quarantine.
There has to be a way to give these essential workers some help paying their bills.
Essential workers have kept California’s economy so strong that state government is projecting another huge budget surplus.
And while it is “nice” that we all applaud essential workers for putting themselves in Omicron harm’s way, we can afford to help them when they quarantine and can’t pay their bills.
Every essential worker who loses 5 days of pay to Omicron quarantine should get a tax credit equal to their lost wages.
It’s not a perfect solution. But it’s better than applause.
