Without a federal response to covid, states are stepping up
The federal government\u2019s plan to fight the coronavirus has some holes. For some cities and states, that means filling those holes to protect the public.
This week\u2019s show looks at this issue in two areas that deeply affect our lives \u2013 work and school.
The Occupational Health and Safety Administration has released guidelines, but no concrete, enforceable rules that force businesses to take actions to protect their workers against covid-19. So last week, Virginia became the first state to create its own safety rules in response to the pandemic. We spoke with Doris Crouse-Mays, president of Virginia AFL-CIO, about why the requirements were needed.
Meanwhile, school districts are deciding whether or not to start fall classes in person or online. We talked to Aaron Phillips, president of the Amarillo Education Association, about the Texas Education Agency\u2019s plan to allow schools to begin the fall semester virtually.