Essential workers weekly federal stimulus benefit

My name is Dana, and I am one of many essential workers still actively employed. As essential workers, we are all doing the important work of supporting this country but we are not being cared for by our politicians and lawmakers. This is why, just like those who have been laid off or furloughed, essential workers should receive a $600 weekly federal stimulus benefit, for working during the pandemic.

During the COVID19 pandemic, essential workers have had to make huge adjustments to our normal work routines. Not only are we working longer hours, we are also homeschooling our children while wearing masks to protect ourselves and everyone we come in contact with. Some of us have even had to be separated from our families while we keep America running.

We are instructors and educators; grocery store clerks; janitors; factory, postal, insurance, food, veterinary, and domestic workers; commercial and transportation drivers; licensed, skilled and unskilled medical professionals; emergency response teams; state and federal employees and many more. We put our lives as well as the lives of our families at risk as we continue to go to work every day. Essential workers are keeping the economy in motion, and we should be cared for by our government.

Left and right politicians are praising us and telling the public that what we do is so important that this country would fall apart without us. But while we’re being called heroes in expensive TV advertisements and online campaigns, we are not being compensated like the “essential” workers that we are. It’s past time for our lawmakers to go to bat for all of us to ensure that essential workers receive a $600 weekly federal stimulus benefit.