U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut wants the federal government to pay a $25,000 bonus to COVID-19 essential frontline workers.
The proposal promoted by Senate Democrats would create a federal COVID-19 Heroes Fund to pay the bonus – the equivalent of a $13 an hour raise for the workers.
Blumenthal says essential frontline workers are the true heroes of the pandemic response.
“The folks who are literally cleaning the ICUs in our hospitals, the grocery workers, the police and fire first responders, Red Cross workers. People on the frontlines going to work. Essential task performers.”
Blumenthal says the fund would also provide for a $15,000 recruitment incentive for health and home care workers and first responders to help attract and secure the workforce needed to fight the pandemic.
He says he is pushing for the proposal to be included in a fourth COVID-19 rescue package being considered by Congress.
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