Jan 5, 2021
Amid the pandemic, small businesses and workers alike have benefited from access to national paid leave—public policy that hasn’t seen much corporate enthusiasm.
In June, clothing retailer Raygun reopened its doors to the public. Raygun employs nearly 100 staffers across six different stores—but since reopening six months ago, there has been no known COVID-19 transmission among them. Just this week, an employee in Raygun’s shipping department learned that his mom had tested positive for COVID-19. He was immediately asked to depart the site and take paid leave. Even after he tested negative, the company took precautions to separate him from other employees. “We adjusted some schedules so he can come in after hours and do some shipping all by himself,” says Raygun founder Mike Draper. “It’s just this constant balance.”