Posted on 03/15/2020 5:48:08 AM PDT by karpov
Friends on Facebook are demanding that the Federal government (i.e., taxpayers) underwrite unlimited paid sick leave in order to stop the coronavirus plague.
This sounds reasonable. We don’t want an infected person coming into work at a restaurant and spreading the infection to 100 customers.
But, on the other hand, especially since our testing capabilities are so limited, wouldn’t this result in 100 percent of people with less-than-fun jobs disappearing from the workforce? Why take the risk of contact with hundreds of customers by working as a supermarket cashier when it is easy to say “I am experiencing some coronavirus symptoms and therefore, out of an abundance of caution, I am staying home to collect my Gov Sick Leave”? (Americans love nothing more than saying “out of an abundance of caution”!).
People who believe themselves to be suffering from a mild cause of COVID-19 aren’t supposed to go to the doctor or hospital, right? So the employer can’t ask for a doctor’s note.
If our policy dreams come true, will the result be a complete shutdown of the typical service business? Or, actually, almost every business. The only thing better than “work from home” is “play Xbox at home and get a 100 percent paycheck”!
Readers: Is there any possible way to design this so that people who do feel well (something no doctor can determine) will continue to work while ensuring that people who don’t feel well will stay home?
You need documentation at our place
Because a lot of people like to work and they will get bored at home. Also, people in health care will do what they think is right, go in and take care of people. Not everyone’s a lazy bum
> “With unlimited paid sick leave for coronavirus symptoms, why will anyone work?”
Mr. Greenspun appears at best to be a 2nd tier intellect.
His question is rooted in ignorance.
The paid sick leave is NOT unlimited. It is temporary just as the coronavirus is temporary.
Lots of people will try to abuse this gift. However, there will need to be some documentation of illness and testing. I don’t know any physicians who are willing to encourage ne’er-to-wells to abuse the situation. Health care providers are working too hard and risking their own health through the pandemic.
Trump says it’s a national emergency. I think under those circumstance, perfect policy design had to take a back seat to expediency, for a few months.
Because you work at a hospital
Because if you do not engage, care, work, put yourself in harms way
People will die
A Soldier, Policeman, Fireman, or Mother
Would understand
Small companies will go out of business. The government can mandate all it wants, but there is no disputing numbers. With business declining, and being forced to pay people a salary for not working, the small enterprise will go bankrupt, and all the employees will be out of a job.
Some people seem to think that just because you have a business, you have infinite money.
So what if it is omly temporary? That makes it even more likely that many people will take advantage of a government-financed paid vacation.
When the 0bama admin green lighted “Disability” for anxiety they pretty much did overwhelm doctors with the forms. It takes a minute to fill the form out. The patients know this and will make you suffer for trying to deny them.
Exactly.
Damn the virus. There are people to help.
I think a separate thread should be set up showing all the scams and cons and scores we can make off of this virus.
I’m already aiming to take advantage of Verizon’s goofy offer.
Everyone doesn't have t be a lazy bum. Just enough people to cripple the entire country. For reference, check on the graph of people claiming disability.
... Damn the virus. There are people to help.
I understand...
Who wants to sit at home all the time?
They will work if allowed because they are Americans.
It is unAmerican to be a layabout.
This will be a test.
By way of self-interest alone, most people will report to work to prevent work piling up on them.
I hope that answers the question posed in the headline.
It’s obvious you haven’t thought it through and considered the alternatives.
The temporary measures are there to prevent the economy from collapsing.
Preventing the economy from collapsing is far more important than mulling about people having freebie time off.
It’s not much different than an air raid siren signaling people to get into shelters. While inside the shelters, basic human needs must be met.
... Exactly
Then you understand
I live to serve, it is an honor to serve
Who, or what, we serve defines us
No, the plan is for the feds to reimburse the small biz to keep the employee paid.
More yucky statism for sure, but Trump’s gotta try and deal with what he and his people can get the Dems in the House to do.
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