HISD approves $500 stipends for fully vaccinated staff
Houston ISD trustees on Thursday approved a pair of measures to offer a $500 stipend to employees who show proof of being fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and to give workers additional leave days for absences related to the illness.
Employees with medical conditions or disabilities recommended by medical professionals to not get vaccinated will be eligible for the stipend. The total cost is not expected to exceed $14 million, according to the district, which begins classes Monday.
The stipend, to be paid with federal relief funds, was pitched as a way to encourage employees to get vaccinated, which in turn could lessen the need for absences from school and work.
The stipend also must be approved by the Texas Education Agency, according to the district. TEA officials said they were looking into the matter.
The board also approved 10 additional paid leave days related to COVID-19 for employees during the 2021–22 school year.
“The board approved a couple of items that will help our community, help our staff to continue the mitigation and protection measures that we want to have in place during this COVID-19 spike,” Superintendent Millard House II said after the meeting. “I think those are both big items. We know (what) we can’t do is completely, you know, mitigate COVID-19, but (what) we can do is push individuals that are hopefully on the fence of being vaccinated to do so.”
He added, “We can also ensure that those that are out because of COVID-19 have the necessary securities in place for the job to be able to come back and not worry about their finances.”
Both measures passed unanimously.
“It shows the appreciation that you have for the people that are out there working on the ground,” Trustee Kathy BluefordDaniels said to House prior to the stipend vote. “Thank you. I just wanted to say it publicly.”
Workers will be permitted to use the 10 additional days consecutively or for a shorter period of time.
They will have to demonstrate their absences were “due to COVID-19 exposure, symptoms, infection, and related factors.”
Employees also will have to present proof of vaccination
to be eligible for the additional sick days.
Any days beyond those 10 will come out of an individual’s leave or vacation allowances.
“Despite best practices, the administration recognizes that some employees will become infected or exposed to the virus during the school year, requiring them to quarantine and be absent from work,” the measure states. “In an effort
to support these employees’ health and wellbeing, to encourage them to stay home when these occurrences arise, and to reduce the possibility of infecting other employees and students, the administration seeks to offer all fully vaccinated, full-time employees, up to 10 COVID-19 paid days.”