Hazard Pay for Health Care Heroes

Summary#

This bill adds a new section to the Public Health Service Act that lets the Health and Human Services Secretary make emergency grants to public or private nonprofit health care facilities and home health agencies. The grants are to be used during declared emergencies or disasters to (1) pay hazardous duty compensation to eligible health care workers who cannot work remotely and (2) buy safety measures like alternative transit, personal protective equipment, and other protections.

Eligible health care workers include health care providers (including direct care workers), medical technologists, public health workers, orderlies, environmental service/janitorial/custodial workers in health care settings, and other roles the Secretary decides are essential. An eligible worker can receive up to $13 extra per hour for hazardous work or hazardous commutes, in addition to their regular pay. No single worker may receive more than $25,000 in hazardous duty compensation in a year. The bill authorizes appropriations of "such sums as may be necessary." The bill was introduced by Senators Edward Markey and Elizabeth Warren and referred to the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee.

What it means for you#

• If you are an eligible health care worker who cannot do your job remotely, your employer could use federal grant money to pay you extra hazard pay during a declared emergency.
• If you work in a listed role (for example, direct care worker, orderly, janitorial staff, medical technologist, or public health worker), you may qualify when your work or commute is hazardous during an emergency.
• Public and private nonprofit hospitals, clinics, and home health agencies can apply for grants to pay hazard allowances and buy safety supplies such as PPE or alternative transit.
• The program only applies during emergencies or disasters declared at the federal, State, local, territorial, or Tribal level.

Expenses#

• Hazardous duty pay allowed under the grants is up to $13 per hour extra, on top of normal wages.
• The maximum hazardous duty compensation any one worker can receive under this program is $25,000 per year.
• The bill authorizes appropriations of "such sums as may be necessary" but does not specify a total funding amount. No publicly available information on total costs is provided in the bill text.

Proponents' View#

Sponsors introduced the bill to provide emergency grants that let facilities pay hazard pay and provide safety measures to safeguard essential health care workers during declared emergencies.

Opponents' View#

No publicly available information.