“Premium pay” for those who stayed on the job

More than $1 million dollars in American Recovery Plan money allocated to Oconee County is on its way to hundreds of county workers who stayed on the job who, during the first year of the pandemic, “never skipped a beat” – in the words of one county councilman.  At the request of Amanda Brock, the administrator, county council last night agreed to entertain an ordinance to be drawn by the county attorney that will award $1.7 million nearly to 550 county employees for what’s called “premium pay” as defined in allowable expenditures in the ARP Act.  Of 544 workers in line for the premium pay, Brock broke down their numbers this way:  417 are considered “essential employees”; 127 are defined as secondary workers.  She told the council that those employees who worked from their homes during 2020 are not eligible for the compensation—although District Five’s Glenn Hart said he had personal dealings with workers who helped from their homes and he regarded what they did as helpful.