GOP Sen. Josh Hawley wants the government to help pay people's wages in a remarkable recovery proposal for the coronavirus pandemic.

"The federal government should cover 80 percent of wages for workers at any US business, up to the national median wage, until this emergency is over," he wrote in a Washington Post op-ed.

The senator said he wanted Congress to "protect every single job" in the US since the federal government effectively shut down the economy to keep the virus from spreading.

Several European countries, such as Denmark, the Netherlands, and the UK, have stepped in to pay worker's wages for the next several months of the pandemic.

Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Republican Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri unveiled a proposal calling for the federal government to step in and help pay workers' wages during the coronavirus pandemic.

In a Washington Post op-ed published on Wednesday, Hawley said it was imperative for Congress to "think differently and be bold" in the next coronavirus relief package.

The senator wants Congress to "protect every single job" in the US, given the federal government effectively shut down vast swaths of the economy to keep the virus from spreading.

Hawley is pushing for the government to cover 80% of employee wages — up to the national median wage — for American businesses until the pandemic is over. He also wants to offer companies "a bonus" to rehire people that recently lost their jobs.

"The goal must be to get unemployment down — now — to secure American workers and their families, and to help businesses get ready to restart as soon as possible," he said in the op-ed.

Read more: 'The great unwind': A hedge-fund chief overseeing $2 billion explains how a ripple effect could take down the housing market — and says 'we're just at the beginning'

The remarkable plan comes as layoffs continue to rock the economy, forcing over 17 million Americans to seek unemployment benefits in the past four weeks. It underscores the severity of the crisis and the search for radical solutions among lawmakers to meet the unprecedented scale of the disaster.

Hawley said in a tweet: "The job losses are staggering. Congress must act now to save every job in the country, and rehire those laid off."

The price tag for such an endeavor would almost certainly be huge — and it greatly depends on which worker's wages are covered and the duration of a program. If the US government attempted to cover the paychecks of the entire workforce, it could cost up to $5 trillion for the next six months, The New York Times reported.

The GOP senator's proposal mirrors novel efforts by several nations in Europe to alleviate the deep economic pain from the pandemic. Denmark, the Netherlands, and the UK are among the countries effectively covering the paychecks of workers for the next few months.

The Danish government is set to cover up to 90% of employee salaries for three months, provided companies refrain from layoffs. Similar plans are in motion in the Netherlands and the UK.

Within those nations, the reasoning appears to be that it's better for the government to pay up and keep people on payrolls than risking economic chaos from mass layoffs.

In comparison, efforts in the US have been focused on ensuring people can access enhanced unemployment benefits after they've lost their jobs. But many people have reported difficulties accessing that insurance as state offices are overwhelmed by the surge of applications.

Read more: A Wall Street wealth chief breaks down why the coronavirus bear market may be unique in history — and pinpoints the areas where traders should be buying right now