New Jersey Citizen Action supports COVID-19 Workers Compensation bill, calls for expanded and strengthened earned sick day law

Trenton—New Jersey Citizen Action (NJCA) today called for the State Legislature to support S2380, which would allow essential workers who contract COVID-19 to more easily qualify for the New Jersey Workers Compensation Program, which provides both wage replacement and health care treatment. These workers include health care and public safety employees, as well as low-income workers who may not have health care coverage and would benefit from the higher wage replacement offered by the program. NJCA also urged the Legislature to support S2453, which would greatly strengthen and expand New Jersey’s earned sick day law, and complement S2380.

“We thank Senate President Sweeney and Senators Singer and Greenstein for championing S2380,  which benefits and helps protect the workers who risk their lives daily to ensure essential services keep running for all New Jerseyans,” said NJCA Associate Director Dena Mottola Jaborska. “This  egislation will ensure workers who contract COVID-19 while performing these essential duties will be properly compensated, and encourage employers to take all necessary precautions to protect their employees from infection, including social distancing, sterilization, and the issuing of personal protective equipment. In addition to wage replacement, essential workers benefiting from workers compensation would also be eligible for disability, death and health care benefits if needed.

“We also thank Senator Weinberg for championing  S2453, which expands and strengthens New Jersey’s earned sick day law to meet the realities of the pandemic, and will work very well in tandem with S2380. Too many essential New Jersey workers may not be eligible for federal paid or have or will quickly exhaust the 5 earned sick days available under our state’s current law. Adding 15 emergency sick days will ensure essential workers who may have contracted COVID-19 have the paid leave they need to stay home, self-isolate, get tested and determine whether they qualify for workers compensation. Workers need to be on leave for seven days before qualifying for workers compensation and an expanded earned sick day law will allow them do so without fear of losing a paycheck.

“We urge the entire Legislature to support S2380 and S2380, which will provide our essential workers with protections they need during this pandemic, and adopt the bills into law as soon as possible.”