“Every American worker should have the right to paid sick leave,” said Rep. Donald M. Payne Jr., ranking member of the Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials for the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
Payne has introduced the Freight Rail Workforce Health and Safety Act, a bill to provide seven days of paid sick leave to railroad workers. “I am disappointed that the railroad industry did not provide this benefit on their own, especially when you consider it provides this benefit to railroad management,” Payne said.
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“These workers risked their health during the COVID-19 pandemic to keep food and medicine on store shelves. They deserve paid leave to care for their own health. When employees come to work sick, they threaten the health and safety of their co-workers. This bill would allow them to take care of their health without worrying about their income.”
Payne represents New Jersey’s 10th Congressional District, which consists of portions of Essex, Hudson, and Union counties, and includes the cities of Newark and Orange. The subcommittee has influence over national infrastructure and all modes of transportation, including aviation and mass transit.