Trump's Labor Secretary Encourages Employers to Report Workers Who Fear Contracting COVID-19

During a global pandemic, instead of focusing the Labor Department's resources on protecting workers, President Trump's Labor Secretary Eugene Scalia is encouraging employers to report workers who refuse to return to their jobs out of fear of contracting COVID-19.

Scalia issued a new guidance this week on COVID-19-related unemployment insurance urging states to have employers report workers for refusing to return to their jobs, saying, "States are strongly encouraged to request employers to provide information when workers refuse to return to their jobs for reasons that do not support their continued eligibility for benefits. We also strongly encourage states to remind employers and the public about the claimant and employer fraud resources within each state."

"When you put a union buster in charge of the Labor Department, workers are the ones who suffer," said Micki Siegel de Hernández, CWA Deputy Director of Occupational Health and Safety. "During a time when the Labor Department should be putting its full efforts into making sure Americans are safe on the job, Scalia is continuing to focus on instilling fear in the workplace, allowing hazardous conditions while shielding employers from liability, and creating more red tape for states trying to get unemployment benefits to people who desperately need them. Trump's administration's actions have been disgraceful and show blatant disregard for workers' lives."