An exact number of essential employees, hard to come by. 49one estimate tomorrow million to 62 million workers. That is an estimate from the Brookings Institution that relied on department of Homeland Security designations of essential. About 7 million employees at Grocery Stores, pharmacies, and bigbox stores. When it comes specifically to the state of california, the Public Policy institute of california estimates that in a typical year, roughly one third to one half of californias labor force is employed in essential operations. The standard definition of essential comes from the 2013 essential services act, generally defined as someone who performs work involving the safety of human life and the protection of property. Of course, those in the Health Care Industry and law enforcement, Food Security and Food Production included under that definition, but as fox news notes in their story, states have been free to add their own designations of what is an essential business in their state. And those occupations have been added, including workers that conduct covid19 research and testing. Pharmacy employees necessary for filling prescriptions, workers who provide Security Services at hospitals, mass transit and airport workers, food and Agricultural Workers have been added. Energy sector employees considered critical to sustaining utilities and telecommunications and natural gas. Mortuary and Funeral Service workers considered essential, workers that support national security, commitment to the military, water and wastewater employees, bank employees, vendors that provide essential Services Like logistics for child care services, hardware stores, the news media, building cleaners and janitors, and others have been added to the list released by states. We want to talk to those folks this morning who are essential employees. What is going on with your job, what are you doing to stay safe . Again, it is 202 7488000 if you are an essential employee in the eastern and central time zones, and 202 7488001 if you are an essential employee in the mountain or pacific time zones. Jim is up first out of grand forks, north dakota. Jim, good morning. Caller hey john, how are you doing . Host im doing all right. What kind of work do you do . Caller i picked up the phone and was trying to talk to the screener about it. I hadnt realized what the term is, i always think everyone is essential, but i work in one of the agricultural mills. I am a mill worker and work with a lot of the products involved with what they grow out here. I wont say which mill i work in, but it is a pretty essential job. Everyday,you going in do you have to go in . Caller yes, just five days a week, but i was talking to my main boss about way back when trump was at one of those trade deals, a japanese trade deal with japan, and the trade deal, the canadianmexican one, and it has been said sometimes with has of your callers that he not done much for the farmers and stuff, but i talked to Truck Drivers, farmers and stuff, and a lot of our product goes to japan and we are booming because what trump has done. We are adding men. I wanted to say that dakota appear in the grand forks, which a city ofscribe as stalingrad here on the red river, we are hardly affected very much. I think there is a total of maybe 200 cases as i read in the paper last week. People are doing what they do all over the country. They are doing a good job here. They are wearing the masks. Host jim, there are not nonessential closures in north dakota yet, correct . Caller i dont believe so. Everything seems to be going as it was. The only difference is people are lined up at the restaurants in the drivethrough windows and they are still doing business, they are open, and the only thing that was a real drag was the library closing. That was what hit home for me because i love the local library and i love to talk to my Library Girls and all the people there, i get my movies and my books, and i had the same book now for about a month. Im really depressed about that. I do want to say one thing about the cash i kind of had a feeling they talk about disparities, but what about the gender disparity . This is an overwhelmingly male disease. I found out on the internet that 71 of the deaths across the world are men, so i thought that was very interesting that we havent talked about that. I think things are going to get back to normal here pretty soon, and i think the people here are the kind of people that dealt with things like blizzards and floods. It is mostly norwegian and german culture, they are a very stoic people and they handled it like they handled anything. Nobody panicking, nobody hoarding. If i was a christian i would say i would pray, but i do not pray anymore. I am agnostic. But i would say i am thinking about you and everybody in louisiana and we hope you make it through. We are going to get through this. Host jim, thanks for the call. The view from grand forks, north dakota. Here is the front page of the New York Times this morning. President weighs setting a schedule to open the economy, and from the Washington Post today, reopening new york could pose unique challenges, vulnerabilities that allowed coronavirus to devastate the densest u. S. Metropolitan area could make it risky for leaders to restart the economy. A lot of debate over that topic yesterday. Rexs in greenville, ohio. What do you do . Caller i also work in the food industry. I am a millwright. Host what has it been like for you . Are there new Safety Measures you have to take and what you do . Caller wash your hands, basically. Some of us have face masks, but we havent got that far yet. Host what has been the guidance from your company . Caller mostly they are worried about the people that we work for and work with, as long as we go along with their health guidelines, that is what they are more interested in. Host thanks for the call from ohio. This is tyrone, new york city. What kind of work do you do . Caller i am an nta transit worker. I am definitely concerned about a lot of the workers that have passed away. I have known a couple of my coworkers that have either been conflicted with this virus or passed away from it. It is a very serious virus, and we definitely need the help that we got and that we continue to get. We definitely have a disadvantage, because it has a head start on us, and we definitely have something to contend with here. My main concern also is that we reopen the city and this thing comes back with a vengeance. We dont want it worse than what it is, you know . That is a serious concern. We definitely have to be vigilant on eradicating this virus in our city. We are working hard at it, you know . Distancing is definitely helping. Im driving a bus and a lot of passengers are coming through the back of the bus. I know they will not continue that, because we pay in the front of the bus here. They have to come in through the back and we really dont have no interaction with the passengers. Host that was one of my questions, what is one of the best things a passenger or customer can do for you as you try to do this essential job . Caller it is happening with the loading in through the back of the bus. That definitely helps, because they do not have to come in through the front, they do not have to interact with us on that whole level, and even when they ask us a question, they are at a distance from us, so we have that six feet. It is dangerous when it gets too crowded on the bus, because now they are packed in. So, you have got that problem there, where they are all in fear of someone on the virus on the bus that is closed in with someone else. That is a problem. We are still trying to figure out how to deal with that. Host nbc news reporting at the mta reported its first death was reported on march 26, two weeks later the number has climbed to 41 what 571 positive cases within mta, over 16,000 workers quarantined. What is the process for you . Do you have access to testing if you feel like you need it . Caller not at our facilities, not like at our post. I would like them to be at our depots, but it is not there. Here in new york, we have to go is one a ways from here. I dont know if there is one in manhattan area, i dont know if it is like a testing site, they open up these drivethrough testing sites. I havent heard of one here in manhattan, so that is certainly alarming to me, because this is the epicenter. I know they have them at westchester and some other outskirts of where these things sprouted up, but i do not know of one i think one opened up in brooklyn, which is another little ways from here, and manhattan, i dont know about a drivethrough testing site. I really think they should have the testing sites on the facilities of the depots, because we have doctors that work for mta, nurses that work for nta. Mta. We have people that might be able to do these tests. Now they are sending nurses to check out temperature, to see if we have our temperature over 104, they send us home. That does not help the fact that i already traveled there, i mingled among my coworkers, because i think this is where we all get. We all congregate in a certain place when we report to work. So if we have that they tried to downsize it, they tried to alleviate that, but we are still in the same area. I said that to my coworkers yesterday. I said, if we are in this area, we could infect each other. That is why we need to come in and go out. But still in that transaction, we have to report. We are still working, we are still doing what we do. We got so accustomed to when we are not feeling well, we still come to work before this. Host do you think that is going to happen anymore in the future, tyrone . Caller well, im not going to if i dont feel well i dont come to work, but there are still instances where people still come in if they dont feel well, and now because this virus is varied in so many different ways if you have a runny nose or a cough, im not coming in. You dont have to have a fever, but people are very scared, we are very scared out there. Host tyrone, thanks for what you do in new york. Stay safe out there. Our next caller, kansas. Good morning. Caller good morning. I do residential concrete construction. We install new homes for people. We might be twisting it a little bit, saying we are essential. It is a new home you are building. It is something you want to have, not an essential need, but we are still working. Im glad we are still working, because i hear a lot of things through unemployment, getting your money through unemployment, things like that, so i am glad we are still working, but the previous caller, same thing with us. We work sometimes in small areas where we are actually setting our walls, we are close to each other. No one is sick yet. They require us to take our temperature ourselves before we come in in the morning. That doesnt mean, like that fellow said, some people come to work sick. You require people to take their temperature, they may do it, they may not. They will if they get to it. But here in kansas, we are plugging away, still working. I just thought i would call in and give you my experience. Host what is your employer saying to you, harold . Is there any sort of new safety precautions you are required to take as you do this work amid coronavirus . Caller we have done a few small things, but probably they were late in the game. We have been given some 409 to clean the truck with, steering wheels, the door handles, that type of thing. We were offered masks, gloves, but that was kind of after someone mentioned it. But thats probably about the extent of our instructions from our employers. But again, like i said, personally i am glad i am working and not having to deal with all the other things and going on with your unemployment problems and that kind of thing. That is the extent of what they have done to keep us safe. Host thanks for the call from kansas this morning. I point to this story in bloomberg, came out on thursday of this week. Bosses stretch the definition of who is essential and workers take the risk is the headline. The story noting this antidote, this is how they begin the bearer of this letter, the document said, is providing lifesustaining and essential services. That depends on how you find essential, a word some businesses are trying to stretch as far as they can. These were distributed to employees of leslies pool mart, inc. The display if they were pulled over by violating shelterinplace orders. The chain sells chemicals that can be used as alternatives to hand sanitizers, and because swimming pools that are not properly cared for can be health hazards. Many of leslies more than 900 locations have remained open. Craft supply chains, Hobby Lobby Stores and joann stores have maintained they are essential too, because they sell supplies for homemade face masks. Gamestop was criticized after resisting orders after claiming that keyboards were essential for people working from home. Duke is next out of maine. Duke, what kind of work do you do . Caller good morning, cspan. I have a caretaking business. I care take and manage peoples summer properties and stuff. I have done this for 55 years. I started it back in Junior High School and have been doing it ever since. 99. 9 of the time, while i work alone, there is nobody there. A lot of my people are, you know, staying away from their summer homes. Those who are very few that are showing up, they are self quarantining and stuff. We are also a fishing village and have a lot of tourism and stuff here. The fishermen, they cant fish, the clam diggers cannot clam and sell their stuff because nobody is buying. The stores and things closed up around here, the schools are closed and things. What stores are open, the hours are cut back, so things are quite different. Host duke, you fall under that essential definition because it is the maintenance of property and property being one of those things that need to be cared for during times of crisis. Is that how you fell under it in your caretaking business . Caller yes. Even though the people may not be coming, you still have to watch the properties, you have to maintain the properties and stuff on them. I am in contact with them by telephone and stuff, to let them know how things are going, because everyone is anxious to get to their places. But the majority of them are willing to stay away, they understand, you know . When things can open up and get back to normal, they certainly will show back up again and we will be glad to see them. Host thanks for the view from maine. This is our caller in columbus, georgia. How are you doing today . Caller hey, how are you doing today . Host i am all right. Go ahead. Caller im calling in regards to the topic of what is deemed essential and what is not. Host what do you do, daltry . Caller i work at lowes home improvement. We were kept open because of appliances, specifically deep freezers and plumbing. There was no luckily, lowes is offering paid leave for people. In my case, i have copd and Heart Defects and whatnot, so they are offering paid leave to their employees. But i really feel bad for the people that still have to be there on the front line for no good reason, because it is not an essential service. Not in my opinion. Host what is lowes, what is a day like at lowes and how is it different from before . How do you start and what steps do you have to take to stay safe . Caller first off, there is no provision to employees as far as any type of ppe. People are kind of fending for themselves. I mean it feels like, it feels like you are on the front line every day, because people are coming in and buying nonessential items in particular. I mean, you are selling in my case, i work in the Garden Center, and people are buying soil and flowers and things of that nature that are completely nonessential, and they come in with their protective gear we are not provided any and it seems that there is no reason for us to be out there when we dont need to be, because that inhibits us from slowing the curve in any way, shape or form. Just in the past several weeks, i have come into close contact with customers that were coughing and sneezing, and i felt the need to back up as they approached me with questions. It is not a safe environment, i feel. I wish that what worked, what is deemed essential would be reevaluated, because i do not believe working in the Garden Center at lowes is essential at this point. If it comes down to appliances and plumbing that deems lowes essential, i feel they should be catering to that only and providing free delivery like most of these other places that are trying to, you know, stay afloat during this crisis. I dont believe that people should be putting themselves out there in that way. Host daltry, thanks for the call from georgia. Legislation on capitol hill being proposed to help those on the front lines, those deemed essential. Democrats leading the way with a proposal within the past couple weeks. Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer and other democrats proposing giving doctors, and nurses, and other essential workers such as Grocery Store clerks up to 25,000 in hazard pay as part of the coronavirus believed bill. The bonus pay, which would amount to a 13 an hour raise, but also go to Truck Drivers and janitors, who democrats say are essential to keeping the economy running during the crisis. It would stretch from the start of the Public Health emergency to the end of the year. A few tweets on that topic from Chuck Schumer. He was saying on twitter when he proposed this legislation that doctors and nurses and essential workers are putting their lives on the line every single day in this fight. Senate democrats are proposing a bold new program for frontline workers. We are calling it the heroes fund, because that is who it is for. He went on to say that a heroes fund for essential workers should be part of the next phase of the congressional response. No proposal will be complete without addressing the needs of the doctors, nurses, and medical workers, Truck Drivers, grocers, transit workers and more, calling them our heroes. Just a few tweets on the heroes fund that has been talked about out of capitol hill. Marie is next in colorado springs. Good morning. Caller good morning. Host go ahead. Caller we are a tax and Accounting Office here. Athave implemented i work home quite a bit, but we have four office workers, and they have a walkup window. They have taken a screen out of a window to have a way for clients to come in and sign and wash down the signature boards and the credit cards. Most of our clients have opted and or delivery what am i trying to say . The Certified Mail with tracking for those that dont have internet. Host marie, how big is the office . How many people . Caller i have four employees, plus myself. Host where do you go for guidance on these Safety Measures that you are taking . Is there any sort of group, an Industry Group that is putting out guidance that you are working with, or is this all something youre trying to figure out on your own . Caller this is a pretty much something we have try to figure out on our own, the distancing between employees and their offices and the clients having access primarily, just from walking in. Because when you walk in the front door, you walk right up to the reception area. That is quite a bit of an exposed area, so we are trying to limit access and just general walking in from the street without having masks on or ensuring coverages for hands and things like that. Host marie, thanks for the call from colorado. Joel is next out of massachusetts. Caller good morning, how are you doing today . Host im well, go ahead. Caller i am an essential worker, i am a night editor at a daily newspaper, and this is what we were trained and born to do, to bring the story to the people who read our newspaper. It has been kind of scary, because the advertisers who are now not open are not advertising. The staff has been cut, the page count is down. We had a plane crash in our area and it didnt even make the front page, because it is all , all coronavirus, all the time. Interesting time to be in the news business. Host joel, can your reporters go out and do interviews now . How has that had to change . Caller the other day we had a reporter go out and do a news story. A lot of it has been done electronically, through various platforms. Calls,ot of telephone which is, you know, the way a lot of newspapers were going anyway. But it has forced us to not do what we normally do. Host joel, as an editor of that paper, do you know about subscriptions amid coronavirus . Our subscriptions up even if you are worried about advertising at this point . Caller for a long time we have been pushing our web presence, and i cant really tell you because im not on the business side, but i think that a lot of people are going to our website because we have made our coronavirus in front of the pay wall, our coronavirus coverage in front of the pay wall, at least breaking news. So, we have not really seen it, but i want to stress with all your viewers out there that if you appreciate local news, if you want to see your kids junior high honor roll or Little League scores, you might want to subscribe to your newspaper. Say, many they restaurants will not be coming back, so a lot of newspapers will not be coming back. Host do you want to say the name of your newspaper . Caller i work for the salem news out of salem, massachusetts. Host what is the website for the salem news . Caller salemnews. Com. Host there is the front page of salemnews. Com. Online for seniors, the homeless in the massachusetts area. Joel, thank you so much for your time as we show your newspaper. Caller thank you for what you do. Appreciate it. Host wes is next out of spartanburg, South Carolina. What kind of work are you in . Caller heating, airconditioning, ventilation. Host what has that been like for you during coronavirus . Caller it has had its challenges, certainly. On the residential side, we have to get around some people, we have to be in their homes, so we are taking extra precautions. The company i work for is part of the national network. All last week for an hour each day, we were in conferences with people as far away as british columbia, down in southern california, all trying to put our Heads Together the best way. The owner of our company, before we go out to a house, we put together a Youtube Video to send to customers, let them know precautions we are taking. I remember my second week into this, we all went on the hunt for bleach at the local Department Stores so we could put together these, put together a packet of disinfectant bags so we can disinfect our tools. The homeowner not the homeowner, but the owner of the company, his wife made masks for everyone in the company. They are nice masks, wearing gloves. Just taking all the precautions we can to make sure we keep ourselves and more importantly, our clients safe. Host what is one of the best things your clients can do when you come to work and make you both feel safe . Caller that is not a question so much for us, it is a question for them. I just want to make them feel comfortable, give them some certainty that we are doing Everything Possible to make sure that we keep them safe at this time and are still able to continue to do the work that is needed in their homes. Host wes, thanks for the call from South Carolina this morning. Plenty of tweets and comments on social media as well as our text messaging service. Here is a few of them this morning. Im retired but we suddenly went back to work with a Major Grocery chain just before this outbreak. As a grocery clerk, my day is busy trying to keep stock on the shelves. Business is flourishing every day here in ohio. That is bruce. This from susan, saying democrats pushing for this, this is more bull to this package we can all pay for. I choose the job i have. It happens to be essential. If who you work for chooses to pay you more that should be their choice, not the governments choice. That is about the heroes act. Benito, dont let them know they can collect more unemployment, they will claim their job is to o hazardous. More compensation for hazard pay for those considered essential. Here is another proposal out of the Brookings Institution. Addie comer and joseph cain with their plan on what could be done right now to help essential workers. What that plan would consist of would be to provide a 50,000 cash benefit to the spouse of any worker who dies from covid19 and to enroll any uninsured essential worker and their spouse and their dependents in a new medicare covid program, which would narrowly reimbursed all covid19 related testing, hospital care, and future vaccinations. Essential workers with private insurance would receive federal reimbursement for any similar outofpocket expenses. Just some of the proposals. One more from the center for american progress, they have a seven part plan. The liberal think tank saying that the plan should consist of Safety Standards to protect essential workers from airborne infectious diseases, additional compensation for risk, paid family and medical leave that can be used to care for themselves or families, access to Affordable Care if they become sick, quality child care so they can go to work while many schools and centers are closed, strong enforcement of workplace standards and access to unions to help implement safety precautions and compensation standards above the minimum. That from the center for american progress. Those are plans that have been thrown out along with the heroes fund we talked about earlier. Just after 7 30 on the east coast. Were talking too essential workers on this saturday morning. We want to hear about your experience during coronavirus. 202 7488000 if you are an essential worker in the eastern or central time zones, and 202 7488001 if you are an essential worker in the mountain or pacific time zones. Patricia, pineville, north carolina. You are next. Caller yes. I was doing essential work, at a fast food chain. I was very worried about working there. This was because yes, good morning. I was doing essential work for a fast food chain, and i was very worried about working there. There was no six feet distance, we worked in a small area. And so, among five or six employees, we were constantly walking past each other. There was no room for distance at all. My concern is, with the fast food chains being open. I dont really understand it, because you have people that have no choice but to work , medical staff. We are going to take you live from new