Senator Gary Peters proposes ‘hazard pay’ for essential, frontline workers during COVID-19 pandemic

ALPENA, Mich.  — U.S. Senator Gary Peters (MI) is hoping to get legislation passed that would provide premium pay for frontline workers during the coronavirus pandemic. Peters explained that the “COVID–19 Heroes Fund” would work much like hazard pay for military personnel.

“The brave men and women who are there working everyday in our grocery stores, stocking shelves and check outs, making sure that we get the food that we need are truly heroes as well,” said Senator Peters.

The proposal consists of two major components: a $25,000 premium pay increase for essential healthcare workers, which would equate to a raise of $13 per hour from the start of the public health emergency until December 31, 2020 and a $15,000 essential worker recruitment incentive to attract and secure the workforce needed in Michigan and across the country to fight this public health crisis.

Senator Peters is the ranking Democratic member on the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. He said he is working to get bipartisan support for the proposal.