Correctional officers, law enforcement, firefighters and other first responders working for the state of Oklahoma are guaranteed up to 80 hours of sick leave for COVID-19 under a new executive order from Gov. Kevin Stitt.
The order clarifies that sick leave provisions in the federal coronavirus relief bill apply to Oklahoma’s first responders. So, they can take that leave if they fall ill, are quarantined or must care for a child if their daycare has closed.
"Our first responders put their lives on the line every day to protect their fellow Oklahomans," Stitt said in a statement. "There’s no opportunity to work from home in these jobs, so they need our support. I also encourage cities and counties across the state to provide the same benefits to their first responders."
The order also directs licensing boards to reduce supervision requirements and practice limitations on physician assistants and nurse practitioners, to make it easier for retired health care providers to come back to work, and to let medical students and recent graduates without full licenses do more.
