Dear Leaders,

Residents of the United States thank you for your hard work and efforts at fighting the COVID-19 pandemic. You have taken many necessary measures including state-wide lockdowns. Together, we find ourselves in an extraordinary situation with COVID-19. In the past few weeks, things have moved very quickly, and this pandemic is affecting all of our communities, our families and our very way of life.

As a result of this lockdown, Essential Businesses and places of employment may remain open. Essential Employees, Temporary Employees or Contractors are facing COVID-19 directly from the front line and are patiently working while new guidelines are created. Some employees are looking at our current situation as "People Versus Profit" as they continue to work while confirmed positive results arise on a daily basis. Different businesses are requiring different safety measures, but some employees are not being tested for Coronavirus because of limited testing supplies and employees are facing hazardous situations such as being exposed to others in close proximity just to come to work. These employees are working because something about their duties makes their job essential and these employees should be compensated for the hazards of being more exposed to COVID-19.

Essential Employees, Temporary Employees, and Contractors should be taken care of so that they can help protect the public. Us workers all have essential roles in the safety & well being of our community and helping our community in this pandemic. Many Essential Employees have immediate family members who are without work or pay and are currently their family's only source of income during this pandemic. Many Essential Employees are having to work extra hours and overtime not only to help support their families hurting for income but also because their employer is suffering as a result of employees calling off of work either to self-quarantine or to take care of children as a result of schools closing down. We are all very fortunate and grateful to still have our jobs during these hard times and receiving hazard pay would help the families of essential workers.

Some Essential Employees were hired on a temporary basis with the hopes of being hired permanently and these same employees are working just as hard as everyone else during this crisis. These employees should be treated the same as the permanent employees and recognized as a permanent part of the Essential Businesses that they are working for. This would give these employees access to the same benefits as their coworkers who are permanently employed.

We are asking you to make sure that all Essential Employees are entitled to a hazard pay of one and one half of our salaries or hourly pay for all of our hard work during these dangerous times as long as lockdowns are in place. Temporary Employees should immediately be hired by Essential Businesses since the extra compensation probably would not apply to them, even though they are just as vital to Essential Businesses. It is only fair to us that by taking the risk going to work, we are financially compensated for our dedication to our employers and to our communities.