Two weeks’ paid sick leave at Walmart could have prevented 7,500 Covid cases, report finds

Largest US employer could have saved 133 lives with policy as workers fear calling in sick could lead to firing, advocates say

More than 7,500 Covid-19 infections and 133 deaths could have been prevented if Walmart offered employees two weeks of paid sick leave, according to a report released on Wednesday.

The public health not-for-profit Human Impact Partners calculated the impact that better paid sick leave could have had for employees of Walmart, the largest employer in the US, using findings from the University of Wisconsin that universal sick leave could lead to a nearly 6% reduction in coronavirus infections and deaths for workers in Wisconsin.