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Essential federal and postal employees who have regular direct contact with the public should have personal protective equipment, appropriate pay and flexible benefits during the coronavirus pandemic, according to a new letter from the Federal-Postal Coalition.
Members of the coalition, made up of 30 organizations including NTEU, wrote every member of Congress about the needs and challenges of federal and postal employees, especially those in public-facing positions. The seven-page letter details the safety, health and precautionary measures the coalition is urging Congress to provide for frontline employees, as well as additional leave and other measures to support employees during this crisis. They include:
Adequate personal protective equipment
Hazard premium pay for essential frontline and public-facing federal and postal workers
Presumptive workers compensation for high-risk federal employees infected with COVID-19
Expanding “Families First” Act emergency sick leave and family leave provisions to all federal employees
Granting weather and safety leave to certain groups of employees
Expanding telework
“Our nation’s essential and frontline federal and postal employees are answering the call and showing the nation what public service mean,” the coalition wrote to Congress. “As you address the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, we urge you to protect, reward and take care of those who are putting the well-being of their fellow citizens above their own.”