By Sharon Block, Professor of Practice, Executive Director, Center for Labor and a Just Economy, Harvard Law School, United States

As in India, heat waves in the U.S. do not visit the same hardships on everyone, even when people are exposed to the same temperatures. While well-paid 2026 World Cup soccer players got frequent paid “hydration breaks”, too many low-paid workers – who are disproportionately women in the US and in India — are compelled to work during extreme heat, putting their bodies and their livelihoods at extreme risk. We know that to be effective, measures to protect workers must address three dimensions: the need for:

1. Water, rest, and shade to protect workers physically;
2. Wage or income replacement to cover times when work is not safe; and
3. Measures to reduce heat in workers’ homes so that they get the recovery and rest they need to work safely the following day.

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this piece are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of AIDMI.