Small Business for Paid Leave Coalition Urges passing Coronavirus Bill HR 6201

Washington, DC - The Small Business for Paid Leave Coalition is calling on Congress to immediately pass the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (HR 6201). 

From sharp decreases in consumer demand to disrupted supply chains, we are seeing dramatic impacts on small businesses due to the spread of COVID-19. This crisis shows exactly why strong public health foundations are needed, both for healthy communities, and also for a healthy economy. 

The Families First Coronavirus Response Act (HR 6201) would allow people to take the time that they need to stay healthy, heal and not lose income. The provisions of immediate emergency sick days, earned sick days, longer paid leave, and expanded unemployment insurance are a needed foundation for supporting our community health and increasing business productivity. We applaud the House for listening to the concerns and urgent needs of small business owners from across the country and including emergency reimbursement cash flow measures to support these important policies.

Our nation is stronger when all employees have time to heal and time to care for sick family members. To make this happen, workers need to have access to paid time to care so they have wages and a job to come back to. Minimizing the spread of viruses benefits businesses, communities, and the economy as a whole.

Yet, nationally, 7 in 10 low-wage workers - many in personal service jobs in close contact with the public - lack access to earned sick days, and 60 percent of workers lack employer provided personal medical leave for a longer illness. 

Small Business for Paid Leave calls on the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate to immediately pass, and the President to sign, the Families First Coronavirus Response Act. The country is in a crisis and requires a response to scale. 

We look forward to making sure small businesses are connected to policymakers and making this actionable as soon as possible. There will be urgent action needed to set this up, and economic support may still be needed for affected small businesses above the reimbursement threshold of 50 employees and who have been affected by decreased demand beyond immediate COVID-19 effects.

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The Small Business for Paid Leave Coalition is supporting small business owners as they speak out on how a publicly managed and funded paid family and medical leave program is good for all of us. Its members include Main Street Alliance, American Sustainable Business Council, Family Values @ Work, MomsRising, National LGBT Chamber of Commerce, National Partnership on Women and Families, and Small Business Majority.