Hey readers, this week we looked at who are considered our essential workers — and the myriad ways society is failing them in this desperate time.
Whose work is "essential"? If you look at the people still grinding away as coronavirus sweeps through the country and the economy skids to a virtual standstill, you'll see those in jobs often considered low-skilled or low-status ― grocery store clerks, garbage collectors, domestic workers. The coronavirus crisis has laid bare just how vital these workers are to keeping our everyday lives running smoothly. And yet they’re among the country’s lowest paid, often with few benefits.
“Rent, bills, payments, they’re still waiting when I get home,” says Ezzie Dominguez, a house cleaner in Denver. She is the only breadwinner in her home since her husband was laid off, and she’s the only one with health insurance coverage for her children. “If I were to get sick, it would be like giving my family a death sentence.”
In the past week, a steady drumbeat of appreciation has been mounting for the underpaid, unsung heroes of American life, and advocates are calling for better wages and benefits in the long-term to truly reflect the value of their work. Will the government listen?
What do you think? We'd love to hear from you. Cheers, Laura, Amanda and Kyla | 
