Hazard Pay

TWU Local 100 Calls for Hazard Pay for transit workers on the frontlines of the COVID-19 Pandemic

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Hazard Pay legislation has been proposed the City, State, and Federal levels. The New York City Council proposed an "Essential Workers Bill of Rights" on April 23. Read about it  here. The bill would "require employers with more than 100 "essential workers" to pay them a $30 bonus for shifts under four hours, $60 for shifts four to eight hours, and $75 for any shift longer than eight hours."

In the State House, Assemblywoman Nily Rozic of Queens is proposing a bill that would grant payments that "would be a percentage or a fixed dollar amount, as prescribed by the commissioner, and would be capped at $25,000 for any worker earning less than $200,000 a year or $5,000 for anyone earning more than $200,000." Read about her proposal here. IB Image

Federal legislation now being put forward by the U.S. House of Representatives would provide retroactive wage hikes for essential workers. U.S. Rep Tim Ryan (D-Ohio) is pushing for a Hero Fund that would create a $25,000 pandemic premium pay increase for essential front-line workers, as well as a $15,000 recruitment incentive for health and home care workers and first responders. Read about it  here

On the other side of the aisle, Republican Senator (R-Utah) Mitt Romney is proposing "Patriot Pay," which would pay essential workers "up to $12 an hour on top of normal wages — for employees in eligible jobs. The increase would extend through May, June and July and would be paid out by employers and the federal government via a payroll tax credit." Read about Romney's proposal here.

The big $3 trillion coronavirus relief bill, proposed by the House of Representatives, and which President Trump has vowed to veto, known as the HEROES Act, "would establish a $200 billion "Heroes' Fund" to ensure that essential workers receive hazard pay. Their employers would be able to apply for grants to provide $13 per hour premium pay for their workers on top of regular wages. These employers would be eligible for grants of $10,000 per worker, or $5,000 for highly compensated essential workers." Read more about that bill here.

Listen to President Utano's radio spot, now airing on major New York City stations and see video below: