E is for Essential Workers

This year for the A-to-Z Challenge, I'll be looking at major events that happened in 2020 [the year we would all like to forget, so let's look at it first, before flushing it down the toilet].

Welcome to E!  We're looking at – ESSENTIAL WORKERS.

Doesn't it make you feel all warm and fuzzy to know that society deems your job “essential”?  Healthcare, grocery, police and fire services, repair and maintenance.  Because of the type of law I practice, my job is considered essential because I provide legal support for essential workers.  I still went to the office almost every weekday in 2020, although I do have a computer at home to log in to the office if necessary.  The only things that really changed for me was my commute time reduced by half [Yay!], and I made most court appearances using technology rather than showing up in person.

But what about other jobs?  Hotels, restaurants, hair stylists, theme parks, gyms, churches, GOVERNMENT WORKERS?!  Some of these I understand in the short term, but others make no sense.  

Pretty much every court and city hall was closed to the public.  Is that not an essential job?  Here in CA, courts are now open but most city halls are still closed for in-person.  What about school teachers?  Almost everyone agrees that kids learn better in person, but most schools closed for at least a few months and when they re-opened it was all online.  Here in CA, many private schools are now back in person but most public schools are still online until Fall 2021 semester.  How many of you think a teacher is not an essential worker??  We complain about the government but is it really not essential?

I don't know about you, but telling a hotel worker, a server or dishwasher in a restaurant, the lady who styles my hair, and all the other folks who go to work and contribute to society, that they're not essential is not good for politics, for economics, or for society.  I consider all those people essential too.  Our society would be lesser if we didn't have those people and those jobs.  The government wouldn't have any money [that it didn't print itself] without folks who are working, no matter what the job.

We're all essential workers.

What do you think?  Let us know in the comments.

Here's a teaser for tomorrow, letter F: