[co-author: Abby Harrington, Associate]
The Oakland City Council approved this week a Hazard Pay Ordinance requiring certain grocery store employers to pay an additional $5.00 per hour in hazard pay for all part-time and full-time employees, and comply with other new legal obligations. This Ordinance took effect immediately and is set to expire when Oakland’s risk level drops to “minimal” under California’s Blueprint for a Safer Economy (defined as an adjusted case rate of less than 1 daily new COVID-19 case per 100,000 people in the county). While there have already been court challenges to the new Ordinance, it currently remains in effect for all covered employers. Although this Ordinance is limited to large grocery store employers in Oakland, other California cities have already implemented similar hazard or “hero” pay ordinances, including Long Beach and Santa Monica. Los Angeles, San Jose, and Berkeley are considering similar proposals in the coming weeks. What do C
Get the Apps CTUSAB backs hazard pay for all in health care, calls for talks
Article by January 30, 2021
The Congress of Trade Unions and Staff Association (CTUSAB) has thrown its support behind hazard pay for health care workers, suggesting that while frontline workers are likely to be the first to receive the payment in the current environment, discussions must now be held to extend the payment to others.
Hazard pay concerns came to the fore in recent weeks as nurses at several health care facilities staged work stoppages to demand the allowance, which has been made to employees at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital.