CRANBURY, NJ (April 22, 2022) – The Academy of Oncology Nurse & Patient Navigators (AONN+) sent a letter on April 1, 2022, to Congressional Senate and House leaders Nancy Pelosi, Kevin McCarthy, Chuck Schumer, and Mitch McConnell urging them to reinstate guaranteed emergency paid sick and family caregiving leave for all U.S. workers.
Like the bipartisan Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) instituted at the beginning of the crises, these policies ensure those individuals and caregivers who are newly exposed to or contract COVID-19, or are still suffering from ongoing COVID-related symptoms, can care for and protect themselves adequately.
Emergency paid sick and family caregiving leave is a critical public health investment for mitigating current COVID-19 infections and preventing future waves that could cause more worker disruptions. It is also an immediate intervention for workers on the frontlines who have borne the brunt of the pandemic and need these protections. While the number of new U.S. cases has fallen, the number of individuals suffering from ongoing COVID- related symptoms, including neurological issues, continues to increase.
Last month, a Navigator survey found that 82 percent of respondents agreed that all U.S. workers should have access to paid sick time during the coronavirus pandemic. The 27 partner organizations who signed this letter represent patients and caregivers who are more vulnerable during this pandemic because of a higher risk of severe COVID and complications, and because of compromised immune systems that make vaccines less effective.
About the Academy of Oncology Nurse & Patient Navigators, Inc. (AONN+)
The Academy of Oncology Nurse & Patient Navigators, Inc. (AONN+), is the largest national specialty organization dedicated to improving patient care and quality of life by defining, enhancing, and promoting the role of oncology nurse and patient navigators. The organization, which has more than 8900 members, was founded in 2009 to provide a network for all professionals involved and interested in patient navigation and survivorship care services in order to better manage the complexities of the cancer treatment process. www.aonnonline.org
For Immediate Release
Gwen Coverdale, 267-884-6328
