NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — It's a hard predicament to be in: having to choose between going to work and support your family, or taking unpaid time off because you're displaying COVID-19 (a.k.a. the new coronavirus) symptoms.
Many companies are now having to re-evaluate their paid sick leave policies because of the illness.
Health officials are urging people experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 to call their doctor and isolate themselves for at least two weeks, but for some, not getting paid for 14 days can be difficult.
Right now there is no federal law requiring employers to provide paid sick leave.
According to the US Labor Department, almost a quarter of all full-time workers don't get paid sick leave. The same is true for nearly 60% of part-time workers.
NewsChannel 5 Legal analyst Nick Leonardo says the government may have to intervene.
"I think the government will have to take some sort of action, especially with how big it's become," Leonardo said, "We've seen how quickly it can travel and become a crisis. I think the government has to act with some sort of buffer in people's abilities to pay federal obligations or help with these corporations are going to have some sort of subsidies where they pay people sick leave because if you have a small corporation, it will be hard to pay their employees for sick leave for an indefinite amount of time."
Some companies have created new policies to protect employees. For example, Trader Joe's and Uber say they will compensate workers for taking time off if diagnosed with COVID-19.
Other companies are also making employees work from home and banning company travel to prevent the spread.
While you should stay home if you're displaying COVID-19 symptoms, for some it is easier said then done.
Leonardo says Tennessee is a right to work, right to fire state, which means if you choose to stay home from work because you think you have symptoms there's nothing protecting you from being let go of your workplace. It's just another thing to think about.
Democratic Congressional leaders have called on President Trump to address paid sick leave when it comes to the COVID-19, but nothing has been made official just yet.
MORE TENNESSEE COVID-19 COVERAGE
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- Tennessee, Metro to offer COVID-19 vaccine to children 12-15 years old
- Nashville's COVID-19 testing centers to adjust operating hours
- Walmart pharmacies in Tennessee now offering COVID-19 vaccines
- Donate to the COVID-19 Middle Tennessee Emergency Response Fund
See all our coronavirus coverage here
COUNTY-BY-COUNTY CASES IN TENNESSEE
What is COVID-19 (a.k.a. the new coronavirus?)
According to the World Health Organization, coronaviruses (CoV) are a large family of viruses that cause illness ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases. Examples include the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS-CoV)and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS-CoV). A novel coronavirus (nCoV) is a new strain that has not been previously identified in humans. COVID-19 stands for "Coronavirus disease 2019," which is when this strain of the coronavirus was discovered.
What are the symptoms?
The CDC says patients confirmed to have the 2019-nCoV reportedly had mild to severe respiratory illness with:
- Cough
- Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
Or at least two of the following symptoms:
- Fever
- Chills
- Repeated shaking with chills
- Muscle pain
- Headache
- Sore throat
- New loss of taste or smell
At this time, the CDC believes symptoms could appear as soon as two days after exposure, or as long as 14 days.
Prevention
The CDC is recommending "common sense" measures such as:
- Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
- Stay home when you are sick.
- Cover your mouth and nose with a cloth face cover when around others.
- Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.
