I 
116TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 6631 
To direct the Secretary of Labor to establish an interagency task force 
on worker protection from COVID–19, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
APRIL 28, 2020 
Ms. STEVENS (for herself and Mr. PAPPAS) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on Education and Labor 
A BILL 
To direct the Secretary of Labor to establish an interagency 
task force on worker protection from COVID–19, and 
for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Essential Worker Pro-
tection Act of 2020’’. 
SEC. 2. INTERAGENCY TASK FORCE ON WORKER PROTEC-
TION FROM COVID–19. 
(a) TASK FORCE.—Not later than 1 month after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Labor 
shall convene an interagency task force— 
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(1) to issue guidance with respect to the protec-
tion from occupational exposure to SARS–CoV–2 of 
covered employees; and 
(2) to take such steps as may be necessary to 
disseminate such guidance to such employees (and 
their employers), including by publication of such 
guidance on the public website of the Department of 
Labor. 
(b) COMPOSITION.—The task force convened under 
subsection (a) shall be chaired by the Secretary of Labor 
and include the following members: 
(1) The Secretary of Commerce. 
(2) The Administrator of the Small Business 
Administration. 
(3) The Secretary of Health and Human Serv-
ices. 
(4) The Commissioner of Food and Drugs. 
(5) The Director of the Centers for Disease 
Control and Prevention. 
(6) The Secretary of Transportation. 
(7) The Secretary of Defense. 
(8) The Secretary of Homeland Security. 
(9) Any the head of any other Federal agency 
determined to be relevant by the Secretary of Labor. 
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(c) GUIDANCE CONTENTS.—The guidance issued 
under subsection (a) shall include recommendations to em-
ployers of covered employees on the development and im-
plementation of a comprehensive infectious disease expo-
sure control plan that— 
(1) includes appropriate production schedules to 
follow the social distancing guidelines of the Centers 
for Disease Control and Prevention; 
(2) includes regular extensive deep cleaning of 
facilities and equipment between shifts; and 
(3) provides for education and training of such 
employees, and ensures that such employers are 
communicating information to employees in an ap-
propriate and timely manner, particularly in cases in 
which an employee may have been exposed other in-
dividuals who have tested positive for COVID–19. 
(d) UPDATES.—The guidance issued under sub-
section (a) shall— 
(1) be updated as necessary to keep covered 
employees apprised of the latest developments with 
respect to the prevention of the spread of COVID– 
19 until such time as— 
(A) there is a treatment or vaccine ap-
proved or licensed under section 505 of the 
Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (21 
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U.S.C. 355) or section 351 of the Public Health 
Service Act (42 U.S.C. 262) for the treatment 
or prevention of COVID–19; and 
(B) such treatment or vaccine is widely 
available within the United States; and 
(2) be disseminated to covered employees (and 
their employers) as so updated, including through 
publication on the public website of the Department 
of Labor. 
(e) COVERED EMPLOYEES DEFINED.—In this sec-
tion, the term ‘‘covered employees’’ means employees 
(other than employees of health care sector employers) 
who have been identified as having an elevated risk of ex-
posure to SARS–CoV–2 by the Secretary of Labor or the 
Secretary of Health and Human Services, including the 
following: 
(1) Grocery store employees. 
(2) First responders (including emergency med-
ical system employees, firefighters, and law enforce-
ment officials). 
(3) Manufacturers, including manufacturers of 
personal protective equipment. 
(4) Employees in the transportation industry. 
(5) 9–1–1 call center operators. 
(6) Workers supporting the energy grid. 
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(7) Pharmacists. 
(8) Employees in the hospitality industry. 
(9) Employees in the cybersecurity industry. 
(10) Mortuary service employees. 
(11) Employees working in or operating drink-
ing water and wastewater facilities. 
(12) Employees of banks. 
Æ 
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