Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell during a news conference at the US Capitol on December 15, 2020, in Washington, DC. | Rod Lamkey/Getty Images

The benefits expire at the end of the year if Congress doesn’t act.

Congressional leaders are hard at work this week on a stimulus package that could bring much-needed relief to workers, families, and small businesses. It’s not a moment too soon, as many Americans are struggling to get by after months without help from the federal government.

But there’s a crucial piece missing from the negotiations: paid leave.

The Families First Coronavirus Response Act, passed in March, guaranteed paid sick leave for workers who were quarantined or ill with Covid-19, as well as for those caring for children while schools or day cares were closed. By helping parents keep their jobs while taking time to care for