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A28 u.s. news
Dialuna 12 Juli 2021
Bonus pay for essential workers varied widely across states

(AP) — For putting their would have covered workers Illinois had paid it in the past.
health on the line dur- in numerous fields, including
ing the coronavirus pan- education, health care, public Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritz-
demic, prison guards in safety and transportation. ker’s administration provided
Missouri got an extra $250 a temporary 12% pay boost
per paycheck. Teachers in Although states have until the last year to nearly 24,000
Georgia received $1,000 end of 2024 to decide how to state workers whose jobs put
bonuses. And in Vermont, spend the latest federal aid, them at risk of contracting
nurses, janitors, retail some advocates worry the re- COVID-19. Most of the $62
workers and many others alistic window for providing million cost was covered with
got as much as $2,000. worker bonuses may be clos- federal funds.
ing as more parts of society
Over the past year, about one- re-open. Smith and his fiancee were
third of U.S. states have used among numerous staff and
federal COVID-19 relief aid Premium pay is one of just residents at the Ludeman
to reward workers consid- several options provided Developmental Center who
ered essential who dutifully to states under Biden’s aid contracted the virus last year.
reported to jobs during the by President Joe Biden in $2,200 bonuses. The Demo- package. States also can use He said the hazard money
pandemic. But who qualified March. cratic governor said lawmak- the money to backfill budget helped pay down credit cards
for those bonuses -- and how ers didn’t have the authority holes, help businesses and and avoid further debt when
much they received — varied So far, only a few states have to tell the state Department households affected by the buying clothing and shoes.
widely, according to an As- committed to paying workers of Education how to use the economic downturn, fund
sociated Press review. While extra with money from the federal money. certain infrastructure proj- Most states that have pro-
some were paid thousands American Rescue Plan. ects and pay for public health vided COVID-19 hazard pay
of dollars, others with simi- Some states remain reluctant programs such as COVID-19 used money from the Coro-
lar jobs elsewhere received Florida is giving $1,000 bo- to enact bonus programs. testing and vaccinations. navirus Aid, Relief and Eco-
nothing. nuses to teachers and first- nomic Security Act signed
responders. Minnesota plans An Oregon proposal to use Illinois lawmakers used the by then-President Donald
As society reopens, momen- to distribute $250 million in federal pandemic aid to pro- federal money for dozens of Trump in March 2020. While
tum to provide pandemic bonuses to essential workers, vide bonuses of up to $2,000 initiatives in the budget that some states limited payments
hazard pay appears to be fad- though a special panel won’t for essential workers failed to took effect July 1 — from to particular public employ-
ing — even though the fed- determine who qualifies un- make it into the budget that $75,000 for a high school ees, others passed out money
eral government has broad- til later this year. took effect July 1, despite a mentoring and violence pre- to a wide range of private-
ened the ability of state and union lobbying campaign that vention program to $200 sector workers deemed to be
local governments to provide This past week, Hawaii Gov. included thousands of emails million for hospitals. Noth- doing important jobs.
retroactive pay under a $350 David Ige vetoed a budget and hundreds of phone calls ing was earmarked for extra
billion aid package enacted provision to pay teachers to lawmakers. The proposal pandemic pay, even though
Grief counselors in short supply with gun violence rising

(AP) — As Brett Roman to 425 teenagers who have ciation, said there was already berg. All below the surface
Williams stood at the lost family or friends, or who a shortage of mental health are the other effects of gun
Philadelphia Medical Ex- have themselves survived professionals, especially in violence: the lifelong inju-
aminer’s office staring at gunfire. She said counselors rural areas, when the corona- ries, the trauma, the fear that
a photo of his older broth- are seeing layers of trauma virus hit. Add the economic, forces parents to keep their
er’s face, a familiar feeling and revictimization as gun emotional and other losses children indoors.
welled in his chest. violence increases. from the pandemic and lock-
down, and now waves of gun Elinore Kaufman, assistant
Williams’ father was shot and Crime has been spiking na- violence in small and large professor of surgery at the
killed in 1996, when Wil- tionwide after it plummeted cities across the country, Hospital of the University of
liams was 11, and the ebb and in the early months of the and Lindy says most men- Pennsylvania and the Pres-
flow of grief had washed over pandemic, with many cities tal health professionals are byterian Medical Center of
him for 20 years. But in 2016, seeing the type of double- stretched to their limit. Philadelphia, said there are
when his brother was killed digit increase in gun violence two times to three times
by gunfire, Williams reached that is plaguing Philadelphia. For the counselors at places more gunshot survivors than
out to a grief counselor for The Biden administration such as Philadelphia’s AVP, fatalities at her trauma cen-
help coping. has sent strike forces to Chi- who only treat people experi- ter. Survivors have increased
cago, Los Angeles, New York, encing trauma and loss from as trauma treatment has im-
Now, Williams serves on the San Francisco and Washing- violence, the rise in violent proved.
board for the organization ton, D.C., to help take down crime is the reason they are
where he once sought solace, gun networks. stretched thin. She said the hospital is work-
and he’s trying to provide over the past 18 months. ing on a program to provide
that same kind of support to Biden has encouraged states There were more than 1,800 patients with a peer mentor
others. But the demand is Williams is chairman of the to use COVID-19 relief people wounded by gunfire to help them connect to pro-
far outpacing the supply of board for the Anti-Violence money to hire police or ad- in Philadelphia last year. As grams that offer help includ-
counselors because of spik- Partnership of Philadelphia, ditional counselors. Phila- the hot summer months that ing counseling, applying for
ing crime. which provides counseling delphia is one of 15 cities typically bring more gun vio- victims’ assistance or finding
services to people affected by nationwide joining a federal lence begin, the city has al- education and a new career
With more than 270 homi- violence. He said there were effort to expand and enhance ready reported close to 900 if their injuries prevent them
cides in Philadelphia dur- 174 people on the waitlist at community violence inter- gunshot victims in 2021 — from returning to their jobs.
ing the first half of 2021, the the end of June, compared ruption programs. Williams’ 150 more than the same time
city has been outpacing the with about 30 people at the group and others that provide in 2020. “We send people back to
number of murders in 2020, same time last year. counseling to victims are ap- situations that were not safe
when 499 people were killed, plying for grants to hire more Adam Garber, executive di- to begin with. And they are
mostly from gunfire — the Executive Director Nata- counselors. rector of CeaseFirePA, a traumatized and hurt and
highest homicide numbers in sha McGlynn said that since statewide nonprofit group probably at a higher risk than
more than two decades. The September, the agency has Lynn Lindy, chief knowledge working to end gun violence, they were in the first place,”
number of people injured in provided counseling services and learning officer at the said people see the homicides she said.
shootings has also exploded American Counseling Asso- above the surface, like an ice-