The COVID-19 pandemic has cast light on what “essential workers” have always known to be true: that the country relies on the work of essential workers for survival and well-being. Black, Latinx and other workers of color in Ohio are celebrated as essential workers while being disproportionately impacted by workplace health and safety issues. It is high time to ensure that essential workers, especially low-income workers, are not only protected in times of crisis, but in times of stability as well. 

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The Essential Ohio Coalition has prepared the following specific policy recommendations to federal, state, and local officeholders that prioritize the needs of essential workers and their families and ensure that their essential work is valued and well compensated long after the end of the pandemic.