The Los Angeles City Council is considering paying city residents who test positive for the coronavirus to stay home.
Councilmember David Ryu introduced a motion on Wednesday, July 29th, that would set up a $25 million fund, described as a “wage replacement program,” for any city resident who agrees to self-isolate and to provide information to contact tracers. Any city resident would be eligible, regardless of income, immigration status or criminal record. The goal is to help people stay home when they have the virus who for financial reasons would otherwise have to go to work, and often to the kind of essential jobs that can’t be done from home.
Ryu said in the meeting, “If we want to bend the curve, we need to make it possible for everyone to stay home when they’re sick – no matter their income or immigration status.”
