As an Allegheny County corrections officer, I have been able to maintain a paycheck during this pandemic. Some of my peers, however, have gone through two or three quarantines unpaid. We were advised to file for FMLA to protect our jobs, even though the county sent us home to quarantine.
When this began, the Allegheny County Jail reacted poorly to the challenge, in my opinion. We suffered shortages in medical and correctional staff. We are the forgotten law enforcement officers. Unless you’ve taken a trip to the jail, you don’t know what we deal with.
We believe we should receive a hazard pay bonus. Correctional facilities across over a dozen states gave their officers hazard pay raises during the pandemic. We are on the front line dealing with people in closed quarters. The jail reports 297 officer tests with 95 positive cases, a 34% infection rate.
The age group hit hardest by covid-19 in Allegheny County is ages 25-49. The average corrections officer age is 43. We check that box, unfortunately.
Quarantines increased mandatory overtime hours since March. Those are hours not slept, away from spouses, children and parents. Hours spent in a facility where our incarcerated citizens are frustrated getting out an hour per day. Hours spent in a facility run on overtime.
Corrections officers deserve a one-time hazard pay bonus for service provided since the beginning of the pandemic. It’s a shame County Executive Rich Fitzgerald doesn’t seem to feel the same way.
Brian Englert
West Mifflin