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Labor Secretary Eugene Scalia faces blowback as he curtails scope of worker relief in unemployment crisis

Labor Department comes under fire over handling of worker protection, unemployment program

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April 10, 2020 at 1:14 p.m. EDT
Labor Secretary Eugene Scalia on April 9 said his department has been providing guidance to employers and employees amid the coronavirus outbreak. (Video: The Washington Post)

The Labor Department is facing growing criticism over its response to the coronavirus pandemic as the agency plays a central role in ensuring that the tens of millions of workers affected by the crisis get assistance.

The criticism ranges from direct actions that the agency has taken to limit the scope of worker assistance programs to concerns that it has not been aggressive enough about protecting workers from health risks or supporting states scrambling to deliver billions in new aid.