Gov. Tom Wolf’s administration put a new incentive on the table to encourage state employees to get their COVID-19 vaccination. Even those employees who already received their shots will benefit from it.
The 72,000 employees who work under the governor’s jurisdiction are now eligible for up to five days paid leave if they are or become fully vaccinated by Dec. 31. This leave time must be taken between Dec. 20 and March 31.
What’s more, any of these five paid days off that aren’t taken won’t be lost come April 1. Instead, employees will be paid a lump sum for the value of the unused days. Money to pay for this incentive program is coming out of agencies’ budget, according to the administration.
In a notice that went out to employees on Monday morning, Secretary of the Administration Michael Newsome explained the rationale behind this vaccination incentive that applies to both unionized (regardless of membership) and non-represented or management employees.
“Each day, millions of people rely on critical programs and services delivered by commonwealth employees. As one of the largest employers in Pennsylvania, we want to make sure our workers have the resources they need to be safe and healthy and be an example to other businesses to follow,” he said.
Gov. Tom Wolf in August offered employees 7.5 hours of paid leave to encourage them to receive their vaccination against the coronavirus. He likened this incentive to businesses giving an extra day off to employees who donate to the United Way, a tactic he said worked well when he ran his family business prior to becoming governor. Employees must use that leave by June 30 or it is forfeited, according to Office of Administration spokesman Dan Egan.
Newsome indicated employees who took advantage of the earlier paid time off incentive are entitled to receive the five additional paid days off as well.
“Most of our employees, approximately two-thirds, have worked in-person throughout the pandemic and continue to do so,” Newsome said. “This new paid leave package is designed [to] continue supporting our employees during this pandemic, while also helping to end it. By encouraging commonwealth employees to get the COVID-19 vaccine and stay home if they are sick, we are increasing the safety of our workplaces, as well as our communities.”
Additionally, the administration is extending its COVID-19 emergency paid sick leave policy to the end of the year. This allows employees access to up to 10 days of paid sick leave if they are infected or need to care for someone who is subject to quarantine or isolation orders or who is experiencing COVID-19 symptoms or side effects from the vaccination for the virus.
In August, Wolf instituted a different kind of incentive to some 25,000 state employees working in health care and congregate care facilities including correctional institutions, veterans homes, community health centers and more. That program required those employees to be vaccinated by Sept. 7 or undergo weekly coronavirus tests.
The latest information available from the Department of Corrections indicates 7,170 staff members, or 45.2%, are now fully vaccinated. while the remaining 8,692, or 54.8%, are not vaccinated.
As of Friday, more than 71.6% of Pennsylvanians 18 age and older are fully vaccinated, with the state ranking fifth among all 50 states for total doses administered.
Jan Murphy may be reached at jmurphy@pennlive.com. Follow her on Twitter at @JanMurphy.
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