Hazard pay to aid essential Pa. workers
Front-line workers across Pennsylvania may have the opportunity to receive increased pay through the COVID-19 Hazard Pay Grant Program, announced Thursday by the Wolf administration along with state Sens. Lindsey M. Williams and Maria Collett.
The program, funded by $50 million in CARES Act federal stimulus money, will award grants to front-line workers in industries with high exposure risk, as determined by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
“These grants will help retain employees, ensure that Pennsylvanians keep working and avoid disruption of critical goods and services,” Gov. Tom Wolf said in a statement.
Businesses, health care nonprofits, public transportation industries and Certified Economic Development Organizations (CEDO) are eligible to apply. Pennsylvania-based industries eligible to apply include: health care and social assistance, ambulatory health care services, hospitals, nursing and residential care facilities, transit and ground passenger transportation, food manufacturing, food retail facilities, janitorial services for buildings and dwellings, and security services to previously mentioned industries.
“Front-line essential workers are the backbone of our economy,” Ms. Williams, an Allegheny County Democrat, said in a statement. “They have been working in dangerous conditions, putting themselves and their families at increased risk from COVID-19 on a daily basis. The Hazard Pay Program acknowledges the risks these workers have been taking and will be taking in the months to come.”
Recipients will be chosen based on risk of exposure to COVID-19 by industry, prevalence of the virus in the area and average hourly pay. The risk to employees has been defined by four categories, based on OSHA standards:
Very high. There is high potential for exposure to known or suspected sources of COVID-19. This includes workers performing aerosol-generating procedures and collecting or handling specimens from potentially infectious patients.
High. There is high potential for exposure to known or suspected sources of COVID-19. This includes those in health care delivery and support, medical transport, and other workers exposed to known or suspected COVID-19 patients.
Medium. This applies to those who have frequent or close contact with people who may be infected, but are not known or suspected patients. Workers who many have contact with the general public, including individuals returning from locations with widespread transmission, would be in this category, as would those who do not have the ability to social distance at work.
Low. They have no contact with people known to be, or suspected to be, infected. These workers have minimal occupational contact with the public or other co-workers.
Areas across the state with higher levels of infection may be more likely to receive hazard pay funding, though Becky Boyle, a spokesperson for Ms. Williams, said that is only one aspect of the application process.
In order to be considered for the grant, employers must be following Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines and state Department of Health regulations.
Ms. Boyle said there is not an exact number of businesses anticipated to receive funding. Instead, the number of recipients will depend on the size of the companies applying for the program.
A capped rate of $3 per hour of hazard pay will be provided to full- and parttime employees earning less than $20 per hour for 10 weeks. Ms. Boyle said employees making more than $20 an hour are not eligible to receive funding through the program. Employees working from home also are not eligible for hazard pay.
Companies are limited to $3 million in total funding, and only 500 employees are able to receive hazard pay at a company location. Applications by CEDO or health care nonprofits representing frontline health care workers can exceed $3 million in funding. One application can be submitted for a company with multiple locations.
Distribution of funds is expected to begin Aug. 16 and end Oct. 24 for a total of $1,200 per employee.
Applications are open until July 31 and can be submitted online at www.esa.dced.state.pa.us.