{"id":5710,"date":"2020-04-24T22:24:33","date_gmt":"2020-04-24T22:24:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/senatedems.com\/chang\/?p=5710"},"modified":"2020-04-24T22:24:33","modified_gmt":"2020-04-24T22:24:33","slug":"senate-democrats-offer-recommendations-to-re-engage-michigan","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dev.senatedems.com\/chang\/2020\/04\/24\/senate-democrats-offer-recommendations-to-re-engage-michigan\/","title":{"rendered":"Senate Democrats Offer Recommendations to Re-Engage Michigan"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

LANSING \u2014 Today, Sens. Stephanie Chang<\/strong> (D-Detroit), Jeremy Moss<\/strong> (D-Southfield) and Sylvia Santana<\/strong> (D-Detroit) released their recommendations after being unable to reach consensus on the bipartisan Senate Safe Behaviors for Safe Workplaces workgroup.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cEvery worker needs workplace protections to ensure they can do their jobs safely and without unnecessarily risking their lives or the health of their loved ones,\u201d Sen. Chang said. \u201cThis includes, but is not limited to, affordable and accessible childcare, paid sick leave for when people inevitably fall ill, and protection from employers who fail to put in place proper workplace protections for workers. While we were encouraged by many of the conversations with our Republican colleagues on the workgroup, it has become clear that consensus on major issues was not going to happen during such partisan times. We feel it\u2019s necessary to issue our Democratic plan to stand strong for Michigan workers, their families, and public health.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Announced on April 7 by Senate Republican leadership, the workgroup was tasked with gathering information from businesses, medical professionals, and residents to create recommendations for best practices in the workplace in preparation of the workforce responsibly and safely transitioning back to their places of employment. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI represent a community that in normal times is an economic hub in Southeast Michigan and, in these abnormal times, has been one of the hardest hit areas of the state due to COVID-19,\u201d Sen. Moss said. \u201cThe recommendations we are making today aim to ensure vulnerable workers are protected when the economy comes back online and takes into consideration workers\u2019 individual conditions \u2014 such as underlying chronic health issues, lack of access to safe transit, and other barriers \u2014 as we emerge from this public health crisis together.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Democrats on the workgroup backed the recommendations to keep the public\u2019s health at the forefront of the conversation, including the need to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n