A global anti-poverty organization has ranked D.C. in its top 10 list of state-level jurisdictions regarding policies that best support workers during the coronavirus pandemic.
Oxfam’s Best States to Work During COVID-19 index, which examines worker protections, health care protections and unemployment support, ranked the District seventh, while Maryland and Virginia ranked 12th and 24th, respectively, WTOP reported. Washington state had the top spot and Alabama at the bottom.
Kaitlyn Henderson, senior research adviser for Oxfam America’s U.S. Domestic Program, said all states can improve as far as pro-worker policies during the pandemic “but some are doing well to support families from falling through the cracks.”
Henderson said every state and U.S. territory should offer workers paid sick leave, paid family and medical leave, fund child care for all workers and upgrade jobless benefits, WTOP reported.