The New York Times editorial board penned a column published Saturday in support of paid sick leave amid the novel coronavirus outbreak in the United States.

The newspaper's board penned the column in support of and in defense of service industry employees who are not guaranteed paid sick leave, putting them at risk during the spread of COVID-19. The board also implored businesses and companies that employ those workers to pay for their sick leave to prevent the spread of the virus.

“As the new coronavirus spreads across the United States, the time has come for restaurants, retailers and other industries that rely on low-wage labor to abandon their parsimonious resistance to paid sick leave,” the board wrote. “Companies that do not pay sick workers to stay home are endangering their workers, their customers and the health of the broader public.”

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While white-collar workers are able to take time off or work remotely to avoid contact with others — whether or not they are experiencing symptoms — service workers often are not able to take time off without it taking an economic toll.

The board pointed to a study from the American Public Health Association that showed that paying for sick employees to stay home significantly reduces the spread of the seasonal flu.

“There’s every reason to think it would help to check the new coronavirus, too,” they wrote.

Saturday morning the House passed an economic stimulus package in a 363-40 vote, which would allow some workers affected by the coronavirus to take up to 10 days of paid sick leave.

“But such a temporary change in the law is also grossly insufficient,” the column read. “It would amount to a brief suspension of the harsh and dangerous reality that most low-paid workers cannot afford to stay home when they are sick. What happens when the next pandemic arrives?”

During negotiations of the stimulus package, Democrats proposed permanent paid sick leave, but it was struck down. The editorial board suggested the private sector be held responsible.

“But business groups raised their eyebrows and Republicans insisted on its removal,” the board wrote. “It is a decision for which Americans should hold businesses accountable.”