The Los Angeles City Council voted on Sept. 1 to approve legislation that will provide workers with up to two weeks of pay if they are infected with COVID-19 and cannot work.

The program, similar to one in San Francisco, will ensure that all workers, regardless of their employment or immigration status, are able to self-quarantine if they become sick. It will use up to $25 million in federal COVID-19 relief funding for payments, according to a motion authored by Los Angeles City Councilman David Ryu, 4th District.

“Beating the COVID-19 pandemic means keeping folks at home when they’re sick,” Ryu said. “But too many Los Angeles workers are being forced to decide between their paycheck and public health. We need a program that ensures all workers are able to stay home, no matter what work they do, their immigration status or their criminal record.”

On July 29, Ryu and Council President Nury Martinez, 6th District, introduced legislation to establish a wage replacement program that pays workers infected with COVID-19 to stay home.

For information, visit davidryu.lacity.org.