Redefining Critical Infrastructure and Essential Workers

The author contends that while the U.S. government has established frameworks for critical infrastructure through CISA and the National Infrastructure Protection Plan, these plans overlook the workers—such as grocery store staff and delivery drivers—who keep these systems operational. The text highlights a lack of consistent definitions for 'essential workers' across different states and a lack of protections for those without unions. It proposes a review of the Stafford Act to establish a shared lexicon and legal recognition for these employees to improve future pandemic preparedness and national security.

• The U.S. government's current critical infrastructure frameworks, including those managed by the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), focus on physical and cyber assets but fail to adequately account for the employees who operate them.
• Workers in roles critical to community stability during the pandemic, such as restaurant workers and delivery drivers, often lack the protections provided by unions or specific regulations while working in dangerous conditions.
• There is a significant lack of consistency in how 'essential worker' is defined across different U.S. states, which complicates the emergency response.
• The author suggests that reviewing the Stafford Act is a necessary first step toward creating a legal framework that recognizes and supports essential employees beyond their relationship with employers.

APA

Garrison, B. (2020). Redefining Critical Infrastructure and Essential Workers. The Council on Strategic Risks. https://councilonstrategicrisks.org/2020/04/21/redefining-critical-infrastructure-and-essential-workers/

Chicago

Garrison, Bishop. Redefining Critical Infrastructure and Essential Workers. The Council on Strategic Risks, 2020. https://councilonstrategicrisks.org/2020/04/21/redefining-critical-infrastructure-and-essential-workers/.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |last1=Garrison |first1=Bishop |title=Redefining Critical Infrastructure and Essential Workers |publisher=The Council on Strategic Risks |date=21 April 2020 |url=https://councilonstrategicrisks.org/2020/04/21/redefining-critical-infrastructure-and-essential-workers/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{garrison2020redefining, author = {Garrison, Bishop}, title = {{Redefining Critical Infrastructure and Essential Workers}}, publisher = {The Council on Strategic Risks}, year = {2020}, month = apr, url = {https://councilonstrategicrisks.org/2020/04/21/redefining-critical-infrastructure-and-essential-workers/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }