Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

The Lunenburg County Board of Supervisors unanimously voted in a quick motion and without discussion to allocate $30,000 for hazard pay bonus to county employees during its Thursday, Dec. 10 meeting.

“Not all staff in the county’s offices are eligible for hazardous duty pay from COVID funding,” Lunenburg County Administrator Tracy Gee said. “However, we do have first responders and our cleaning staff whose duties have been redirected to respond to COVID-19. And that would come out of local funds, but with a transfer of CARE funds to cover that.”

According to county administration representatives, all staff on the county’s and social services’ regular payroll will receive hazard pay.

“This hazard pay will not require any additional local funds,” Lunenburg Deputy County Administrator Nicole Clark said. “It is funded by savings due to the redirection of duties related to the COVID-19 pandemic.”

Staff positions were categorized according to risk level as determined by the Department of Labor’s Emergency Temporary Standard on Infectious Disease Prevention.

Employees in a moderate risk full-time position will receive $600. Those in a low-risk full-time position will receive $400. Medium risk part-time positions will receive $250, and low-risk part-time positions will receive $100.