Santa Clara County employees to receive millions of dollars in 'hero pay' COVID pandemic checks
Making use of an infusion of federal money aimed at helping government agencies recover from the devastating economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, Santa Clara County plans to dole out a total of $76 million in “hero pay” bonuses to all its employees.
On Tuesday, the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors approved distributing its American Rescue Plan Act funds to approximately 22,000 employees as a token of appreciation for their work during the pandemic. Full-time employees will get $2,500, while part-time employees will receive a pro-rated version of that amount. In addition, In-Home Support Services workers, who provide help to adults over 65 years old, will get $500.
“I support the pandemic hazard pay for our workforce,” said District 4 Supervisor Susan Ellenberg. “And the reason our county is leading with some of the lowest transmission in the U.S. is a combination of the leadership of our public health officer, the willingness of our residents to adopt the health orders and the tireless and extraordinary efforts of our county workforce.”
Since the pandemic began, cities across the country have instituted “hero pay” for frontline workers who are at a higher risk of being exposed to the virus. Santa Clara County passed a law in February that temporarily required large grocery stores in unincorporated parts of the county to pay employees an extra $5 an hour. Berkeley and Richmond passed similar laws soon after. But a county-wide bonus for employees in response to the pandemic is new for government agencies. San Diego is the only other large county in the state so far to offer “hero pay.” Its total payout at $36 million is less than half of what Santa Clara County has promised.
Read more: https://www.mercurynews.com/2021/10/05/santa-clara-county-covid-pandemic-hero-pay-millions-dollars/