Requiring employers to offer paid sick leave to employees is supported by 70% of registered voters, according to a newly released Civiqs survey. Another 67% said employers should be required to offer paid maternity and paternity leave to employees with a new child.
Paid sick leave has become the focal point of an emergency relief package House Democrats are trying to negotiate with the White House to address economic disruptions caused by the coronavirus outbreak. Democrats view it as an essential part of helping workers through a tough economic period, but the White House and Senate Republicans have so far opposed its inclusion in the package. Of course, people who can't afford to stay home are more likely to go to work sick and potentially advance spread of the virus. This week, Senate Republicans already killed an emergency paid sick leave bill offered by Democratic Sen. Patty Murray.
86% of survey respondents also said that healthcare policy is either extremely important (55%) or somewhat important (31%) to them in the presidential election.
48% also said they were either extremely concerned (20%) or moderately concerned (28%) about a coronavirus outbreak in their local area.
The breakdown of that question by which news sources respondents used was interesting: Only 9% of frequent Fox News watchers were extremely concerned, while 48% of frequent MSNBC watchers expressed extreme concern.