Beshear asks KY lawmakers to help craft bonus pay program for essential COVID workers
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear has informed state legislative leaders that he wants to create a work group that includes six state lawmakers to reach consensus on using $400 million of federal funds next year to give bonuses to front-line essential workers who have been employed throughout the coronavirus pandemic.
In a two-page letter sent Tuesday, the Democratic governor said he’d like the work group to include two legislators from the majority Republican Party and one legislator from the minority Democratic Party from each chamber.
He said leaders of each party caucus would select the legislators on the work group.
“These representatives, along with members of the executive branch, can then work toward consensus on key questions of what professions should be included, and the appropriate amount of payments,” Beshear wrote.
The governor’s letter was obtained by the Lexington Herald-Leader through an Open Records request. It was sent to Senate President Robert Stivers, R-Manchester; House Speaker David Osborne, R-Prospect; Senate Minority Leader Morgan McGarvey, D-Louisville, and House Minority Leader Joni Jenkins, D-Louisville.
Jenkins said she is supportive of the work group and House Democratic leadership is working on picking its representative.
McGarvey said, “I am highly in favor of forming this work group and rewarding our essential employees for stepping up amid a global pandemic. As of now, our caucus continues to deliberate on who is best fit for the position.“
Stivers and Osborne had no immediate comment.
Beshear said the work of the group should be guided by U.S. Department of Treasury guidance that provides broad definitions and limitations on the amount of pay that can be provided. The group’s recommendations would be addressed in Kentucky’s 2022 General Assembly, which begins in January.
“We look forward to working in collaboration in seeking an approach that provides a positive incentive to all essential workers to continue their employment in the coming months, knowing they are appreciated and there is something to look forward to as we work to defeat this virus,” Beshear wrote.
Beshear noted in his letter that the virus, to date, has claimed the lives of more than 9,000 Kentuckians.
“Throughout each phase of the pandemic, brave Kentuckians showed up every day to perform essential work at the risk of harm to themselves and their families,” he wrote.
Beshear mentioned nurses, police officers, firefighters, grocery store workers, agriculture workers and educators.
In recognition of this heroism, said Beshear, Congress made bonus or incentive pay for essential workers an allowable use of money provided by the federal American Rescue Plan Act.
In the coming months, Kentucky will receive about $1 billion in additional funds under the act, said Beshear.
“My recommendation is that the General Assembly appropriate $400 million of these funds to recognize, thank and incentivize the brave essential workers that — at that point — will have continued in their employment and fought this pandemic for two full year, meaning from March 2020 through March 2022,” he wrote.
Beshear announced the bonus plan on Oct. 4 after several legislators criticized him for not guiding them in a special session last month to appropriate federal pandemic money to immediately aid with retention of health care workers.
This story was originally published October 13, 2021 at 1:10 PM.
