House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda

The novel coronavirus outbreak has shown how quickly a disease can travel across the globe and affect thousands of people. Our first defense to slow and stop the spread of disease is through isolation or quarantine. However, if a person is detained for weeks as a precautionary measure and does not have paid sick leave, then they should be able to collect unemployment benefits. People who are quarantined are limiting the spread of a virus, but have families who depend on them.

Pennsylvania workers and their families need a solution, which is why I will be introducing legislation that will provide unemployment compensation for people who have been ordered into quarantine or isolation. We cannot allow families to face the uncertainty of losing wages, in many cases the sole source of income, while going through the stressful time of being in isolation or quarantine. My bill does not extend unemployment benefits to those who use paid sick leave or other leave during their quarantine or isolation.

Please join me in protecting our workers and providing this valuable resource as we battle current and future public health threats.