Hospital staff get pandemic pay, finally
Wage bump to start arriving in paycheques under program that ended over a week ago
Nearly four months after Ontario Premier Doug Ford promised a pandemic pay bump for front-line workers, some are just seeing their first instalment now, days after the temporary program ended.
Eligible workers at The Ottawa Hospital have not received their pay until now. A spokesperson for the hospital said workers were informed this week about the rollout of retroactive pandemic pay, “which will start being distributed this pay period.”
Most workers at other hospitals and long-term care homes in the area are already receiving, or have received, pandemic pay, which amounts to an additional $4 an hour. The pay is available to a number of health-care and other designated workers for work between April 24 and Aug. 13.
The issue has been contentious since Ford made the announcement on April 25, calling front-line workers heroes.
“These people put themselves in harm’s way to care for our sick and vulnerable citizens. I am truly grateful, as are the people of Ontario, for their service and it’s time we give something back to those who sacrifice so much day in and day out.”
From the start, some workers complained they had been left off the list, which was later expanded. Others whose work could put them in contact with COVID-19 were never included in the list of those eligible for pandemic pay.
Eligible workers, including employees of hospitals, long-term care and retirement homes, correctional facilities, childcare centres, shelters and more, were offered the temporary pay bump as recognition that they have put themselves in harm’s way during the pandemic.
In Ontario, more than 600 health workers have been infected with COVID-19 since the pandemic began; 14 have died. Numerous other workers — including OC Transpo drivers and retail workers — have also become infected while working in public jobs.
Hospitals have been among the last to roll out the temporary pandemic pay, causing Ford to scold them earlier this month when asked why thousands of workers had not yet received the bonus.
Michael Hurley, president of the Ontario Council of Hospital Unions, said the time it took to get the pay to workers was not entirely the fault of hospitals — new job categories were added to the list of eligible workers after the initial announcement.
“All of this has taken them a while to sort out.”
But Hurley said problems with pandemic pay remain. “For me the central problem is there are large groups of people who should be eligible and who are not.”
That makes it harder for excluded workers to hear Ford and others talking about heroes.
“The way that is heard when you are excluded is you are not heroic, your work is not on the front line and you are not making a valuable contribution.”
Eligible employees who work at long-term care homes run by the City of Ottawa are currently receiving pandemic pay, said Werner Labuschagne, program manager, pensions and finance, with the city.
Final payments for most eligible city employees will be processed by the end of this month, although some will receive final payments during the first week of September, he said.