A vector image demonstrating the different types of essential workers

California and Connecticut have each expanded separate protections to their workers pertaining to the COVID-19 pandemic.

America's most populous state, California is providing more help to its essential workers at the direction of Gov. Gavin Newsom, reports ABC 7. These protections include new and improved benefits intended to reduce COVID-19 transmission among essential workers. Newsom says the essential workforce in California has been most heavily impacted by the spread of COVID-19, especially those in the Latinx community.

The order extends COVID-19 paid sick leave and workers’ compensation for at-risk employees.

Another protection ensures that anyone who is sick or has been exposed to COVID-19 has a place to self-quarantine. This is especially intended to benefit the homeless, agricultural and farm workers in California.

In Connecticut, frontline workers who have been exposed to COVID-19 will have a simpler time filing for workers’ compensation, thanks to an order by Gov. Ned Lamont, reports Hartford Courant.

The order automatically extends workers’ compensation benefits to frontline and essential workers who contracted COVID-19 at the start of the pandemic. The benefits are given with the presumption that frontline workers got COVID-19 while working, something for which unions in the state have lobbied.