With the December 31, 2020 expiration of the Families First Coronavirus Relief Act, Virginia’s hardworking men and women have no protection from being forced into work after having been exposed to or infected with COVID-19.

We all watched with great shame the actions of Tyson plant managers in Iowa, who placed bets on how many of their employees would become infected with COVID.

is this what we want to see happening in Virginia? As COVID-19 infections spike and the vaccine remains several months away for most people, it’s critical that we take steps to mitigate risks for workplace exposure  now and in the future.

The virus has already taken on a second, more infectious form, and the CDC acknowledges that this is unlikely to be the last such zoonotic virus which evolves to infect humans. Unfortunately, pandemics aren’t going away anytime soon. We need robust, permanent OSHA protections AND enforcement to protect the health and safety of all Virginians while preventing another economic disaster.