GAINESVILLE – The Hall County Commission gave unanimous approval Tuesday evening to hazard compensation for county employees who have an increased exposure risk for contracting COVID-19 as they fulfill their normal job requirements.
Hall County Public Information Officer Katie Crumley explained who would be eligible for the extra pay after the online voting session adjourned. “The departments that have employees that qualify for hazard pay are: Fire and EMS; Sheriff’s Office; Landfill, Solid Waste and Resource Recovery; the Correctional Institute; the Marshall’s Office; E-911; Animal Services; Building Inspections; and Building Maintenance.”
Crumley explained that not everyone in each of those departments would be eligible for the added compensation. “For example, at the Fire Department, if there’s somebody on an ambulance who is responding to people out in the community, that person qualifies for hazard pay; however, the Fire Chief, who is sitting in an office doing administrative work, would not.”
“Words cannot begin to express our gratitude for the selfless acts of service our first responders and others are providing to our community during these uncertain times,” Crumley said. “In response to their bravery we are adding a dollar of hazard compensation pay to their hourly rate, and this pay will be retroactive to March 1, 2020, and will continue through the duration of the COVID-19 crisis.”
The resolution approved by the commission covers the remainder of the fiscal year which ends June 30th, but Crumley explained that if the crisis continues past that date funding to extend the compensation would be part of the FY 2021 budget process.
The approved resolution provides $996,887 and includes scheduled overtime, as well as funding of applicable benefit impacts.
“We recognize this extra compensation does not remove the risk our first responders are taking as they serve our community during the pandemic. However, we hope it will serve as a reminder of how much they are valued and appreciated by the Hall County Board of Commissioners,” Crumley added.
