New York City-based NewYork-Presbyterian will give a $1,250 bonus to employees who have worked in or supported the COVID-19 front lines, according to the health system.
NewYork-Presbyterian President and CEO Steven Corwin, MD, and the health system's executive vice president and COO, Laura Forese, MD, announced the bonus to staff April 2 during a video town hall.
NewYork-Presbyterian said the bonus is for all employees who worked at clinical sites such as a hospital campus or outpatient site in March, either providing patient care or directly supporting those providing patient care. To be eligible for the bonus, employees must have worked physically at a clinical site for at least one week in March.
In a COVID-19 update, Craig Smith, MD, chair of the Columbia University department of surgery and surgeon-in-chief, NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center, said the extension of bonuses by the health system "recognizes unprecedented efforts in response to the threat of this unprecedented pandemic."
"Some nonetheless grateful recipients may demur that they don't do this for bonuses," Dr. Smith wrote. "True and admirable, but everyone in the world is looking for ways to show appreciation for what our people are doing; singing, bringing food, donating PPE. Witness the firemen, who sacrificed so many lives for us on 9/11, gathered in front of Lower Manhattan Hospital sounding their sirens and clapping for everyone inside. This generous gift is just another way to applaud."
The bonus announcement comes as New York is the state hardest hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. As of 9:30 a.m. CDT April 3, there were 92,743 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the state.