American workers lost nearly $28 billion in salaries due to Covid-19 as a result of not having access to paid leave

• According to recent data from the Urban Institute, workers without access to paid leave lost an average of $815 in income for missing a week of work due to illness, child care, or other obligations during COVID-19.
• As a result, between March 2020 and February 2022, workers missed out on an additional $28 billion in pay compared to the prior two years, according to the assessment by the nonprofit research organization with funding from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
• One of the few nations without national paid sick leave or paid family and medical leave programs is the United States.

According to recent data from the Urban Institute, workers without access to paid leave lost an average of $815 in income for missing a week of work due to illness, child care, or other obligations during COVID-19.

As a result, between March 2020 and February 2022, workers missed out on an additional $28 billion in pay compared to the prior two years, according to the assessment by the nonprofit research organization with funding from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

One of the few nations without national paid sick leave or paid family and medical leave programs is the United States. Instead, the study found that benefits and programs offered by employers or at the federal, state, and municipal levels were a “patchwork” for workers. Employees who work for covered employers and have valid reasons may take unpaid vacation under the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993.

The Covid-19 pandemic brought to light the coverage gaps for paid leave that many workers experience.

According to the study, which examined data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and the U.S. Census Bureau’s Current Population Survey, workers reported a 50% increase in absences from March 2020 through February 2022 as a result of illness, child care, family, or personal obligations compared to the two years before.

The percentage of weekly unpaid absences for all employees increased by 60% between March 2020 and February 2022.

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