As healthcare workers, we believe all Wisconsin residents, and indeed, in the USA, should have paid sick leave, but for those of us on the front lines, this is non-negotiable.

Employees are experiencing elevated anxiety and fear as they continue their regularly scheduled shifts at the eye of the pandemic storm, especially those who are considered at-risk. Hazard pay would go a long way in terms of increasing morale and knowing their employers recognize the hard work and health risks they face amid this global crisis. According to the UN, hazard pay is “a form of compensation granted to staff members who have been requested to remain and report for work in duty stations where very hazardous conditions, such as war or active hostilities, prevailed and where the evacuation of families and nonessential staff had taken place.”

Closing the sales department, during this pandemic of the coronavirus is crucial. The virus itself is airborne, and although washing your hands frequently, and disinfecting the store is helpful, that won’t prevent the spread of said virus. Both customers AND employees are at risk of catching and spreading the virus. At this point in time, there is no way to know who has the coronavirus, due to the limited number of tests. Suspending all business hours, until further notice, WHILE continuing to pay all workers, would be beneficial to both customers & employees. Employees and Customers can display no symptoms, while still being able to transmit the virus to others. Instead of waiting until an employee has been exposed or catch the virus, closing all stores would prevent anyone from getting the virus. At this current time, employees are on the frontlines, potentially being exposed and spreading the virus, unknowingly. The moral thing to do, would be to suspend business, while paying employees, until there is a grip on the virus.

These health care providers are risking their lives along with the loved ones they go home to each night, while providing life saving care to coronavirus victims. They are not expected to work from home, practice safe distancing, or put their concerns first; instead, it’s all hands on deck for this group of health care providers. With barely enough money to cover monthly expenses and student loan debts, if they become infected by a + patient, the hospital loses a set of caring hands, but the employee risks so much more. Offer hazard pay to nurses and techs. They are dealing with a crisis and should be paid accordingly

Closing down the retail chain is important because it puts the safety of the employees first. Employees work in fear every single day helping customers. A new pair of jeans or discounted designer handbag is not a necessity during this difficult time. Employees should be allowed to practice safe social distancing measures from the safety of their homes without fear of how they will be able to afford groceries. Please help all hourly employees of Plato’s Closet get the compensation and social distancing they deserve during this difficult time.

These are scary times, while it is important not to panic it is also important to take the proper precautions in order to successfully diminish the possible COVID-19 cases in Winnipeg. This letter isn’t an act of rebellion against Starbucks but simply expressing our right to feel safe at work, being able to give our customers the Starbucks experience by keeping them safe and also an act of solidarity for all the people in self isolation and risking their jobs to keep our communities safe. What we’d like to see is a total shut down of the store and complete pay for the hours originally promised. We must take extra precautions to keep our partners and customers safe. This is will allow customers to see that Starbucks is taking this seriously and will come back with respect for the company once this pandemic passes. The Starbucks experience is to keep our customers happy, feeling safe and making Starbucks feel like their third place. However, right now it is crucial for partners and customers to stay at home and lessen the possible spread of COVID-19. It saddens us to say this but if Starbucks stays open people will not take this pandemic seriously and put others at risk. As it just takes one infected person to cause an outbreak. This is an act of solidarity for the working class and all those who are self isolating. This should allow for some partners to self isolate and still being able to live, pay rent and other debts. We can’t put our partners, our friends at needless risk. While other stores are being closed and getting paid with catastrophic pay, we are putting ourselves and the community at risk by being open. That is why we are asking this, it unfair to the community we are putting at risk, especially because most of our customers are over 60 and we are putting them at risk by simply being in contact with them. Another issue partners have brought up is how working during a pandemic is taking a toll on their mental health. Partners are afraid to come to work, scared they will get sick themselves or spread the virus as a carrier. Everyone’s anxiety is heightened as our brains switch onto survival mode. These are unprecedented times and we have no idea what to expect in the future. Regarding the e-mail Starbucks sent to customers filled with blatant lies and misinformation: “Many of our customers have also asked how we will care for our partners. We have shared with our partners that they will never have to choose between working or taking care of themselves. For details on the comprehensive support and resources we are providing please visit here” Here is the information we got from our manager on our storewide facebook group: Partner is sick for more than 7 days have to apply for leave of absence. Partner who is sick can't be paid vacation. Only if partner is on vacation. Partners who traveled outside Canada on 29th Feb or after should self quarantine for 14days but will be paid catastrophic pay. Partner who is ill should visit a doctor and present a doctor a doctor's note upon return to work. Partners who exhibit flu like system should not come to work but see a doctor or visit test COVID-19 sights. Manitoban doctors have asked for work places to stop demanding doctors notes because it is dangerous to unnecessarily visit doctors who could be hosting people with the virus. Because another person who really needs to visit the doctor should be having that appointment instead of someone being forced to get a doctors note. That isn’t support, that is detailing how we have to work even if we do not feel safe or if we feel sick. If a partner is sick, they can’t get paid? So they must go to work and possibly infect others. That isn’t a safety precaution. That e-mail was strictly to save face with our customers but do nothing for the partners who are on the front lines of dealing with the virus.

All of the evidence suggests that seniors, over 60, are more susceptible to this virus.

TJX company has more than 500 employees and is exempt from being required to pay sick leave or family leave. Retail workers need to be protected and paid.

I work at one of these regional/national chains. When I went to work today for the first time in 3 days, there was no hand sanitizer provided, no masks, no gloves presented, no temperature taken of the people I work with or myself. I have been wearing gloves and using my own hand sanitizer for a week, then during my three days off, things changed dramatically. I have one coworker tell me he has a sore throat the second I walk in. I am absolutely livid at this point. You see, I take care of my elderly parents, especially my father who is in frail health. For the last three days ive worried to death about coming back to work, because I work with people who are all much younger, and honeslty still think this is all a joke. So I hoped it would somehow be ok, but I knew....These places, the people at top, including the managers at the stores, they arent going to have to grab a $20 bill from a guy that just coughed all over it. They wont see the sick people, then have to worry about going home to there elderly parents, they only care about one thing, money. Money, dirty disgusting money, possibly covered in bacteria, being brought back into a shop of people that think that this is still a joke. Well, it didnt take me more than 2 seconds to go home when offered to go. Now, I dont know where I'll get money, because I dont even know if I have a job still. I had to make a decision right that second, my parents health or my money....I chose my parents. I shouldnt have to worry now about my job, about going to work to get sick. To bring it home to my parents. If every person could actually be 100% safe and cared, maybe these places would be fine to have open, but they are not, they still dont care, and are dangerous right now. Please help the elderly and people that do care about this, and shut these places down!

We need to protect the general public and decrease the spead of this virus. The CDC and other public health officials have made it clear that everyone should stay home and avoid contact with others as much as possible.

The definition of hazard pay by the UN is: "Hazard pay is a form of compensation granted to staff members who have been requested to remain and report for work in duty stations where very hazardous conditions, such as war or active hostilities, prevailed and where the evacuation of families and nonessential staff had taken place." H-E-B is currently open to the public during this time to provide customers with a much needed service of providing groceries among many other items. Many H-E-B partners are worried and scared that during these hard times of a pandemic that they or their families will likely contract COVID-19 due to being in contact with customers during their shifts without proper PPE to otherwise protect them. Thus H-E-B should be providing partners with hazard pay to compensate them for their extra work and exposure to COVID-19.

Because we could die!