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Lisa White is a medical technician and president of the American Federation of Teachers Local 5093.
Working in the middle of a pandemic has been extraordinarily difficult for all frontline workers, but for those of us working in nursing homes, it has been particularly stressful. Since March, long-term care facilities have been ground zero for coronavirus infections with over 100,000 known COVID-19 deaths among residents and staff across the U.S. These facilities only account for 8 percent of all coronavirus cases, but 40 percent of all COVID-19 deaths in the U.S. have occurred at nursing homes or assisted living facilities.
Unfortunately, as health care workers and first responders risk our lives and the lives of our families every day, we are excluded from federal Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) provisions that provide 10 paid sick days for employees who need to quarantine, self-isolate or care for a family member with COVID. As a result, many of us are forced to take unpaid leave instead. This has put a tremendous financial burden on a workforce that is already overworked, underpaid and understaffed.
When you work in a nursing home, it’s never about the money. The pay is low and we could probably find a much less demanding job for the same amount of money at a coffee shop or retail store. We do these jobs because we deeply care about the residents we serve and we want to make them as happy and comfortable as possible during their remaining days on earth.
Since March, the workers I represent in Bangor have worked with our employer to ensure our residents are protected by following strict protocols to prevent spread of the coronavirus at our facility. But it hasn’t been easy.
As certified nursing assistants (CNAs) and medication technicians, we work overtime almost every day to bathe, dress, feed and dispense medicines to some of the most vulnerable people in our society. As we care for elderly parents and loved ones, we avoid family gatherings for fear that we will bring COVID-19 into the facility. The responsibility and pressures of our jobs also takes an emotional toll on us. We’re called “heroes” in TV ads, but we’re dismissed as collateral damage when we lose our lives to the virus.
Since COVID-19 hit Maine, we have struggled with a lack of proper protective equipment, extremely short staffing levels and unpaid quarantines. I had already used up my earned time off during my first quarantine last spring when I caught a stomach bug right before Thanksgiving and needed to have a COVID test. It turned out negative, but I was exposed to the coronavirus while getting the test at the doctor’s office. I finally got out of my second unpaid quarantine several days ago and I’m worried about how I’ll pay my bills having been without an income for two weeks.
It is disheartening to know that when we are exposed to the coronavirus, not only do we panic while waiting for the results, but we cannot earn any money to feed our families. My biggest fear is that workers who are forced to choose between staying home and paying for basic necessities will choose to go into work sick. If we have an outbreak at our facility, not only does it put our patients’ health at risk, but it could also reduce staff to below the level needed for us to properly provide care.
Currently, a bipartisan group of lawmakers, including Sens. Angus King and Susan Collins, have put forth a COVID relief stimulus framework that has important safety net programs, but lets the FFCRA provisions expire. This will leave millions of food service, retail, child care and other low-wage workers without paid leave if they are exposed to the coronavirus or need to care for a family member. I urge our elected officials to extend this critical benefit and to remove exemptions, not just for my members, but for all health care workers and emergency responders who keep us safe and healthy during this deadly pandemic.