Essential Worker Protection Act of 2020

I 116TH CONGRESS 2D SESSION H. R. 6631 To direct the Secretary of Labor to establish an interagency task force on worker protection from COVID–19, and for other purposes. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES APRIL 28, 2020 Ms. STEVENS (for herself and Mr. PAPPAS) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and Labor A BILL To direct the Secretary of Labor to establish an interagency task force on worker protection from COVID–19, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa- 1 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 3 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Essential Worker Pro- 4 tection Act of 2020’’. 5 SEC. 2. INTERAGENCY TASK FORCE ON WORKER PROTEC- 6 TION FROM COVID–19. 7 (a) TASK FORCE.—Not later than 1 month after the 8 date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Labor 9 shall convene an interagency task force— 10 VerDate Sep 11 2014 21:31 May 01, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H6631.IH H6631 jbell on DSKJLSW7X2PROD with BILLS 2 •HR 6631 IH (1) to issue guidance with respect to the protec- 1 tion from occupational exposure to SARS–CoV–2 of 2 covered employees; and 3 (2) to take such steps as may be necessary to 4 disseminate such guidance to such employees (and 5 their employers), including by publication of such 6 guidance on the public website of the Department of 7 Labor. 8 (b) COMPOSITION.—The task force convened under 9 subsection (a) shall be chaired by the Secretary of Labor 10 and include the following members: 11 (1) The Secretary of Commerce. 12 (2) The Administrator of the Small Business 13 Administration. 14 (3) The Secretary of Health and Human Serv- 15 ices. 16 (4) The Commissioner of Food and Drugs. 17 (5) The Director of the Centers for Disease 18 Control and Prevention. 19 (6) The Secretary of Transportation. 20 (7) The Secretary of Defense. 21 (8) The Secretary of Homeland Security. 22 (9) Any the head of any other Federal agency 23 determined to be relevant by the Secretary of Labor. 24 VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:20 May 01, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H6631.IH H6631 jbell on DSKJLSW7X2PROD with BILLS 3 •HR 6631 IH (c) GUIDANCE CONTENTS.—The guidance issued 1 under subsection (a) shall include recommendations to em- 2 ployers of covered employees on the development and im- 3 plementation of a comprehensive infectious disease expo- 4 sure control plan that— 5 (1) includes appropriate production schedules to 6 follow the social distancing guidelines of the Centers 7 for Disease Control and Prevention; 8 (2) includes regular extensive deep cleaning of 9 facilities and equipment between shifts; and 10 (3) provides for education and training of such 11 employees, and ensures that such employers are 12 communicating information to employees in an ap- 13 propriate and timely manner, particularly in cases in 14 which an employee may have been exposed other in- 15 dividuals who have tested positive for COVID–19. 16 (d) UPDATES.—The guidance issued under sub- 17 section (a) shall— 18 (1) be updated as necessary to keep covered 19 employees apprised of the latest developments with 20 respect to the prevention of the spread of COVID– 21 19 until such time as— 22 (A) there is a treatment or vaccine ap- 23 proved or licensed under section 505 of the 24 Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (21 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:20 May 01, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H6631.IH H6631 jbell on DSKJLSW7X2PROD with BILLS 4 •HR 6631 IH U.S.C. 355) or section 351 of the Public Health 1 Service Act (42 U.S.C. 262) for the treatment 2 or prevention of COVID–19; and 3 (B) such treatment or vaccine is widely 4 available within the United States; and 5 (2) be disseminated to covered employees (and 6 their employers) as so updated, including through 7 publication on the public website of the Department 8 of Labor. 9 (e) COVERED EMPLOYEES DEFINED.—In this sec- 10 tion, the term ‘‘covered employees’’ means employees 11 (other than employees of health care sector employers) 12 who have been identified as having an elevated risk of ex- 13 posure to SARS–CoV–2 by the Secretary of Labor or the 14 Secretary of Health and Human Services, including the 15 following: 16 (1) Grocery store employees. 17 (2) First responders (including emergency med- 18 ical system employees, firefighters, and law enforce- 19 ment officials). 20 (3) Manufacturers, including manufacturers of 21 personal protective equipment. 22 (4) Employees in the transportation industry. 23 (5) 9–1–1 call center operators. 24 (6) Workers supporting the energy grid. 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:20 May 01, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H6631.IH H6631 jbell on DSKJLSW7X2PROD with BILLS 5 •HR 6631 IH (7) Pharmacists. 1 (8) Employees in the hospitality industry. 2 (9) Employees in the cybersecurity industry. 3 (10) Mortuary service employees. 4 (11) Employees working in or operating drink- 5 ing water and wastewater facilities. 6 (12) Employees of banks. 7 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:20 May 01, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\H6631.IH H6631 jbell on DSKJLSW7X2PROD with BILLS