Health care workers would receive a hazard pay bonus in recognition of pandemic risks, under legislation passed today in the Senate Labor, Commerce & Tribal Affairs Committee.
“Many, many health care workers have been putting themselves in harm’s way for nearly two years now caring for COVID-19 patients,” Sen. Annette Cleveland (D-Vancouver) said. “These folks are working under dangerous and stressful of conditions, and they should be compensated for that.”
Cleveland cited a recent report by the International Council of Nurses indicating that COVID-19 is causing lasting mass trauma among nurses.
“This is a unique and complex form of trauma,” she said, “with potentially devastating consequences in both the short and long-term, both for individual nurses and for the healthcare systems they work in.”
Cleveland, who chairs the Senate Health & Long Term Care Committee, said an additional intent of Senate Bill 5911 was to encourage health care workers to remain in the vital roles they fill.
“The wave of retirement-age baby boomers is creating an alarming shortage of nurses and other health care professionals even as those jobs have become even more difficult and stressful due to the pandemic,” she said. “Many are leaving, and many who remain are becoming burned out by having to work so hard to meet the needs of all patients..”
Between the retirements of baby boomers, the increase in hospital caseloads from COVID-19, and the unprecedented stress of providing health care during a pandemic, many health care facilities are experiencing acute staffing shortages.
“This is action we need to take now to ensure a robust health care workforce to serve Washingtonians tomorrow and into the future,” Cleveland said. “It’s a short-term fix that I hope will bring long-term benefits.”
The bonus would be paid with federal funding the state received from the American Rescue Plan Act for the purpose of mitigating COVID-19 impacts. The hazard pay would apply to someone who worked 240 hours during the last 12 calendar weeks of 2021 (during the delta and omicron surges) and earned less than $100,305 annually. The formula for determining the bonus would be based on the amount of funds available, administrative costs, and the number of eligible workers.
“Frankly, we are overdue in recognizing the tremendous risks and sacrifices our health care professionals are dealing with,” Cleveland said. “This bill recognizes these sacrifices and the continued efforts of our health care workers in the war on COVID.” It’s a considerable burden, and unfortunately it shows no sign of abating anytime soon.”
