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Northwell Health announced that it will be awarding employees a lump-sum payment of up to $2,500 and a week of paid time off that can be used during their time working for the company.
“Our dedicated staff’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic has been nothing short of heroic. Thanks to the courage and commitment of our front-line caregivers, we answered the call-in service to the patients and communities who entrust us with their care,” Northwell President and CEO Michael Dowling said in a statement.
According to Northwell, nurses, physicians, respiratory therapists, and other direct patient caregivers are eligible for the program, as are environmental services workers, housekeepers, and those in outpatient and corporate roles who worked behind the scenes to maintain operations during the surge in patient volume from the virus.
In total, approximately 45,000 employees are eligible for the recognition program.
Since the COVID-19 outbreak began in early March, Northwell hospitals have treated and discharged more than 6,100 patients; with more than 2,600 still hospitalized as of Tuesday, April 21.
“As an organization, we want to continue to support, motivate and inspire our team members,” Dowling said. “We celebrate their wins, recognize their heroic work and amplify the outpouring of community support they are receiving for their courageous actions. We thank our board of trustees for its generous support of this important recognition program.”
The announcement came a day after New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo called for hazard pay for essential employees who have been battling the virus on the front lines, including medical workers, transit, and daycare workers.
“Pay them what they deserve. I’d say hazard pay. Give them a 50 percent bonus, and I would do that now,” he said during his daily COVID-19 briefing. “Our front-line workers are heroes. They are carrying us through this crisis.”
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