Last week, we started using Playbook to give voice to the fear among Hill staffers, who are being forced to come into work during Covid.

Many say they are encouraged to not telework. Many say they fear wearing masks because they’re looked down upon.

We grant people anonymity because it’s tough to talk about this. Your career in D.C. is based on who you’ve worked for — whether that’s right or wrong is for a different discussion.

This morning, we published an email from someone who works for a progressive Democrat. Here’s what they told us:

“Hi I wanted to share this without my name or office. I work for a progressive Democrat in Congress and our chief of staff has also been upset with me and other staff/ putting pressure on staff to come to the office in person. …

I voiced I didn’t feel safe coming into the office since I’m immunocompromised and Republican members routinely didn’t wear masks in the halls, and was visiting my sick grandmother in the hospital. ...

“There was a day … that 4-5 staff were physically in the office even though it’s not permitted per the attending physician’s recommendations. …

"She told me I just had to ‘wear a mask and come in’ (which also would have gone against a mandatory quarantine period since I was in another state at the time) and was disappointed I didn’t tell her earlier (I had multiple times). …

"We literally had a staffer get Covid in March and she still didn’t seem to think our health was more important than staffing the Member. …

“Congressional staff have no workplace rights (unless a protected class)&have no way to unionize. The hypocrisy of working for a progressive [D]emocrat is that our office advocates for others to have equal pay and right[s] etc but doesn’t practice what we preach in our own office

Our chief of staff emotionally abuses staffers and we either have to suffer in a toxic work environment or risk losing our job if we speak up.”