Signed by Governor Phil Scott

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to amend and pass a bill that appropriates funds to health care and social services programs from the Coronavirus Relief Fund.

Highlights:

• Appropriates $326.85 million from the Coronavirus Relief Fund (CRF) to covered employers for necessary health care and human services related to expenses incurred due to or as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic (Sec. 1).

• Establishes the Agency of Human Services the Front-Line Employees Hazard Pay Grant Program and appropriates $28 million to administer and award grants to certain public safety, public health, health care, and human services employers whose employees were engaged in activities substantially dedicated to mitigating or responding to the COVID-19 public health emergency (Sec. 6).

• Defines a “covered employer” as an entity that employs one or more eligible employees in Vermont in relation to the operation of the following, including, but not limited to (Sec. 6):

• An assisted living residence;

• Nursing home and any employer a nursing home has contracted with;

• Residential home or therapeutic community residence;

• A health care facility or dentist’s office or facility;

• Homeless shelter or home health agency;

• A provider of necessities and services to vulnerable or disadvantaged populations;

• Ambulance or first responder service; or

• A morgue.

• Specifies that a covered employer does not include the state, political subdivision of the state, the United States, or an agency designated to provide mental health or developmental disability services (Sec. 6).

• Defines “eligible employee” as an individual who is employed by a covered employer to perform a job that had an elevated risk of exposure to COVID-19 during the public health emergency that could not be done remotely (Sec. 6).

• Defines “elevated risk of exposure to COVID-19” as the performance of a job that has a  potential for exposure to known or suspected sources of COVID-19 though providing in-person services or care to members of the public or clients, cleaning or sanitizing the premises of a covered employer in a location that is used by members of the public or individuals who are known or suspected to have COVID-19, or requiring frequent close or physical contact with individuals known or suspected to have COVID-19 (Sec. 6).

• Defines “close contact” as interactions with another individual that require the employee to be within 6 feet of that individual (Sec. 6).

Full Bill Text