Hazard Pay for Health Care Heroes

Summary#

This bill would add a new section to the Public Health Service Act to allow the Secretary to make emergency grants to public or private nonprofit health care facilities and home health agencies. Grants must be used to give hazardous duty compensation to eligible health care workers for work during declared emergencies or disasters, and may also be used for safety measures such as alternative transit options, personal protective equipment, and other safety measures.

The bill defines emergencies to include major disasters and emergencies declared under the Stafford Act, national emergencies under the National Emergencies Act, public health emergencies under section 319, and State, local, territorial, or Tribal emergencies declared by the applicable government. An "eligible health care worker" is an essential health care worker whose work cannot be done remotely.

The bill lists examples of essential health care workers: health care providers (including direct care workers), medical technologists, public health workers, orderlies (SOC code 31-1015), environmental service/janitorial/custodial workers in health care settings, and any other roles the Secretary determines are essential. The Secretary must determine when the performance of work or the commute is hazardous.

Hazardous duty compensation provided under the grants may be up to $13 per hour in addition to the worker's normal wages. The total hazardous duty compensation any one worker may receive under this program may not exceed $25,000 per year. The bill also says the Secretary may allow grant funds to be used for other safety measures.

The bill authorizes appropriations of "such sums as may be necessary" to carry out the new section.

What it means for you#

• If you are an eligible health care worker who cannot work remotely, your employer could use grant money to pay you up to $13 extra per hour for hazardous duty during covered emergencies, subject to a $25,000 per year cap. This extra pay would be in addition to your normal wages.
• You would only be eligible if your employer (a public or private nonprofit health care facility or a home health agency) receives and uses a grant for this purpose and if the Secretary or the employer determines the work or commute is hazardous.
• Workers who can do their jobs remotely are not eligible under the bill's definition of "eligible health care worker."
• For-profit facilities are not listed as eligible grant recipients; the bill specifies public or private nonprofit health care facilities and home health agencies can receive grants.

Expenses#

• The bill sets the hazardous duty pay rate at up to $13 per hour and a per-worker annual cap of $25,000 for hazardous duty compensation.
• The bill authorizes "such sums as may be necessary" to carry out the program but does not set a specific total appropriation amount or estimate of overall cost.

Proponents' View#

• The bill's stated purpose is to provide emergency grants to safeguard essential health care workers by funding hazardous duty compensation and safety measures.

Opponents' View#

• No publicly available information.