Fighting Coronavirus, Houston Is The Largest U.S. City Without Paid Sick Leave Law

Houston Public Media

Jen Rice | March 16, 2020

Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner declared a public health emergency on Wednesday, with the first suspected case of community-spread coronavirus in nearby Montgomery County. Along with that announcement, Harris County Public Health executive director Dr. Umair Shah urged sick Houstonians to stay home from work.

“We also want to make sure that if you are sick that you don’t go into settings — whether it’s at work, or sending your child to school — that you do not get others sick in our community,” Shah said.

Following that advice is more difficult in Houston than in other major cities, because Houston is the largest American city without a paid sick leave policy.