Joseph R. Biden said Thursday the federal government should provide paid leave to any employee who has to miss work because of the coronavirus.
Mr. Biden, the presumed Democratic 2020 presidential nominee, said paid leave coverage would also be extended to those who would stay at home to care for a family member with COVID-19.
“The paid lead would be paid for by the federal government for as long as they need to recover,” Mr. Biden said during a roundtable event in Philadelphia.
The event served as a chance for Mr. Biden to outline his plan for reopening the nation in a safe way amid the coronavirus.
Mr. Biden said President Trump’s response to the pandemic was too slow and has led to a greater loss of life.
He said the administration’s plan for reopening the economy does not do enough to protect workers.
Mr. Biden said he wants to mandate that employees that are called back to work are guaranteed COVID-19 testing.
He said he would push to establish federal guidelines to protect workers that employers must follow or face fines, and said he would pump more money into child care provides and schools.
