WORKERS could be awarded with an extra $600 bonus to award them for their efforts during the pandemic, as calls for a fourth stimulus check continue.
While Americans continue to grapple with the Covid crisis, some of the hardest-hit sectors are being supported by extra payments.
Farmworkers and meat packers are set to be given $600 cheques to go towards “expenses” and Covid costs.
A whopping $700million has been set aside by the US Department of Agriculture to compensate staff who incurred unexpected costs – such as having to purchase their own PPE and taking unpaid leave.
And at least $20million of the funds, provided by the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021, will be funneled to grocery store workers.
The farming and food packing industry bore the brunt of the pressure throughout the pandemic – as they were heavily relied upon to keep the country ticking.
Workers were also hit with medical bills, vaccine-related expenses, and lost wages.
U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsak announced the bonuses earlier this month, applauding “the social and economic achievement” of workers who kept food on the table.
“They deserve recognition for their resilience and financial support for their efforts to meet personal and family needs while continuing to provide essential services,” he said.
“This grant program is another component of this Administration’s efforts to ensure assistance to alleviate the effects of the pandemic is distributed to those who need it most.”
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The cash will be doled out to workers via grants that are given to nonprofit organizations who apply to work with the government.
They will then distribute the funds to workers when a system of application has been worked out.
Groups applying for these grants will have to show that they are able to connect with workers that are difficult to reach.
“BRAVE”
According to the United Food and Commercial Workers union, at least 132 meatpacking workers died of COVID-19 and at least 22,000 workers have been infected or exposed to the virus.
The association, which represents around 80% of the country’s beef and pork workers and 33% of poultry workers, said a number of outbreaks in the sector sparked mass infections.
“While the rest of America could work from home, these brave men and women continued to show up for work every single day to ensure that we all food on our tables that we could eat,” Marc Perrone, president of the United Food and Commercial Workers union said.
“Meatpacking plants experienced some of the most deadly COVID-19 outbreaks when the pandemic first came around and there were workers that are deserving of our help, and our thanks and our support.”
In Florida, it was announced teachers and principals will receive an extra $1,000 stimulus payment for their pandemic efforts.
