Kaleida Health and Catholic Health, both based in Buffalo, N.Y., are providing hazard pay to workers caring directly for COVID-19 patients, according to The Buffalo News.
Kaleida spokesperson Michael Hughes told the newspaper eligible employees will receive an additional $10 per hour. This includes employees assigned to dedicated COVID-19 spaces at Buffalo General Medical Center, Millard Fillmore Suburban Hospital in Amherst, N.Y., and DeGraff Memorial Hospital in North Tonawanda, N.Y.
Catholic Health is offering "extra premium pay" to workers in COVID-19 units at St. Joseph Campus in Cheektowaga, N.Y., as well as at St. Joseph Post-Acute Center in Orchard Park, spokesperson JoAnn Cavanaugh told The Buffalo News.
Healthcare providers are not required by federal law to pay hazard pay, which the U.S. Labor Department describes as pay "for performing hazardous duty or work involving physical hardship." Workers at some hospitals and health systems — including New York City-based NYU Langone Medical Center and University of Chicago Medicine — have called for this pay amid the COVID-19 pandemic.