Safety Nets Work Both Ways: The Influence of Available Paid Leave on Employee Risk Taking During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

Background: During the COVID-19 pandemic, use of symptom-screening tools to limit attendance of infected workers has been widespread. However, it remains unknown how the reliability of responses to these tools may be compromised by individual and social factors. We aimed to determine whether personal concern over lost wages impacts responses to COVID-19 symptom-screening questionnaires making them less useful in limiting person-to-person transmission. Methods: We utilized an anonymous online questionnaire, administered through personal social media networks and those of two U.S. private colleges between September 16, 2020 and November 2, 2020 and distributed to currently or recently employed individuals 18 years of age or older. Participants considered ambiguous hypothetical scenarios involving possible COVID-19 symptoms or exposure and responded to a COVID-19 symptom screen (N = 219). Findings: In response to symptom-related scenarios (i.e., elevated temperature or slight cough), respondents lacking access to paid sick leave were 2.2 to 2.7 times more likely to attend work than those with access to paid leave (p