Westmoreland doles out retroactive pandemic hazard pay to top administrators

Nearly two years after the fact, Westmoreland County’s senior executives, department heads and other top administrators will receive bonuses for their work in the early days of the coronavirus pandemic.

Commissioners on Monday unanimously approved retroactive pandemic pay for about 60 county officials for 10 days of work between March 18 and 27, 2020.

“Everyone else who worked those days got the extra half pay,” Commissioner Sean Kertes said in explaining the decision to issue additional bonuses.

Commissioners last year awarded hazard pay to staff who remained on the job after Gov. Tom Wolf issued a stay-at-home order for Westmoreland County after the first coronavirus cases were identified locally. In spite of the order, many county employees continued to come to work to ensure government functions continued.

While many county employees were allowed to work at home, about 60 department heads, deputies and other top officials came to the courthouse and other county offices in addition to essential workers such as jail guards, 911 dispatchers and nurses at the county-owned nursing home.

Those essential staffers were given hazard pay which saw them earn 150% of their salaries for working during the pandemic.

In April 2020, commissioners furloughed about 500 government staffers, about 25% of the county’s workforce, as the pandemic surged. Most furloughed employees later returned to their jobs.

Commissioners said the retroactive pay approved Monday will compensate department heads who did not receive hazard pay and worked during that two week-period, even those who have since left county government. Elected officials will not receive the retroactive bonuses.

The bonuses are expected to cost about $200,000 and will be paid for from the county’s $105 million in American Rescue Plan funds. The county received $52.5 million in ARP money this year with similar amount expected to arrive in early 2022.