By now, the risks of continuing to go to work while the COVID-19 pandemic ravages the world are all too apparent. For this reason, many of us have spent weeks working from home and staying there to keep each other safe.
However, it’s also true that this is not an option for essential workers. In the case of health care professionals , grocery store employees , and truck drivers , continuing to work means ensuring that all of us can survive what’s still to come in this situation.
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And so, it’s understandable that many would start to see these workers in a heroic light. But for politicians with the ability to truly support them, any words praising this heroism can ring hollow without any action to go with them.
But those in the Senate now have an opportunity to put some significant weight behind their words.
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Six Democratic senators are proposing a measure to award hazard pay to those on the front lines of coronavirus response efforts.
As The Hill reported , this proposal’s sponsors intend to include it in the phase four coronavirus relief bill that will be discussed in Congress after it reopens on April 20.
The hazard pay in question would amount to $25,000 for essential workers earning less than $200,000 a year and $5,000 for those earning more than that.
Anyone whose employers contract with state, local, and tribal governments would be eligible for this pay, but it was specifically proposed with healthcare workers, grocery store workers, truck drivers, custodial staff, drug store workers and pharmacists in mind.
The $25,000 hazard pay is supposed to translate to an additional $13 per hour of work.
The proposal was introduced by Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer, who is calling it the Heroes Fund.
As he said , “For these Americans, working from home is not an option. Social distancing is not an option.”
He has also since clarified that it would apply retroactively from the start of public health crises related to COVID-19 and extend to the end of the year.
This Heroes Fund would also provide benefits to the families of essential workers who have died after contracting COVID-19.
In terms of actual mechanics, the funds set aside by this proposal would be sent to employers, who must then distribute them, track any payments made, and then return any leftover money to the federal government.
The proposal comes in the wake of growing calls among the public to provide all essential workers with hazard pay.
As The Hill reported , Democratic senators are also proposing an essential worker recruit incentive of $15,000 to attract and retain medical professionals.
As Schumer said about this proposed measure, “We need to retain and recruit the workforce needed for the long months to come.”
h/t: The Hill
