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Nazareth, Pa., United States

Friday, June 19, 2020

NorCo Has Paid $1.4M in Hazard Pay Thru June 13

At the request of Council member Bill McGee, Executive Lamont McClure has released a breakdown of $1.4 million in hazard pay to county employees through June 13. It will stop in the pay period ending June 26.

Most of the money went to Gracedale ($904,000), Corrections ($388,000) and the Juvenile Justice Center ($72,000). The pay ranged from 20-30%, with the highest hazard pay going to Gracedale workers caring for residents infected with Covid-19.

NorCo Hazard Pay by BernieOHare on Scribd

17 comments:

Anonymous said...

Bernie, is that what the total salary was for those employees during that time? Or is that in addition to their regular wages?

Bernie O'Hare said...

Just the hazard pay.

Anonymous said...

They were and are worth every nickel they were paid.
Thank you Gracedale staff.
Jerry Seyfried

Anonymous said...

Funny how some "Essential" employees received extra pay for doing their jobs and others didn't. Even when Covid 19 had spread thru other offices as well at the courthouse , while remaining open the entire time. Guess some employees matter more than others at Norco. And this is fact.

Bernie O'Hare said...

COs and Gracedale staffers, who were directly exposed to Covid-19, are worth every penny in hazard pay that went out. I am particularly proud of the COs, who really stepped up. but you're right. Some employees matter more. The ones who work hard matter more than those who don't. At the courthouse, I know which departments work hard and which don't. Even the Civil Division, where the pay is low, has not missed a beat. There really is only one bad department. It is unproductive, has lousy morale and is very upset the public has been allowed to return. If I know, my guess is that county administrators know as well.

Anonymous said...

Thank you Bernie. Just got home from a mandated double shift. This weekend there were 27 mandates on our shift alone. And no not because of call outs, we just run short staffed. Thought you might like to know that our staff prevented two more suicide attempts. We recognize the need for awareness given the current climate. And before the trolls comment that this is our job they are correct. I'm not complaining. It is our job. And I'm proud of that.

Bernie O'Hare said...

Wow! Were these suicide attempts this past weekend? Amazing what you folks do.

Anonymous said...

6/21/20 5:46.

I'm not going to reveal which office due to possible retaliation from the "top" floor. I know of an office that never closed at the Gov't Center which had a confirmed case in this office and the employee missed 4 weeks. Not a mention or consideration of closing this office at any time due to health reasons or finding if others were infected. No extra " hazard "pay there either, no testing and no mask provided. Guess the admin feels some lives are more important than others? Pitiful.

Bernie O'Hare said...

I know the office in question and am aware of the circumstances. The employee who contracted Covid-19 was not in close contact with the other employees in that office and there was no need to quarantine you or award you anything. Hazard pay, incidentally, is given to people who actually work.

Anonymous said...

Mr. O'Hare, I know who wrote this past post about the courthouse. Said party had a desk directly next to my wife and other employees. Party is a friend and she was scared for herself and the others in this office. Don't say they didn't have direct contact with others. you weren't there everyday. They were and most certainly did. Your post is wrong and get the facts correct sir. And yes, my wife and the others work dealing with people who feel they are entitled to special treatment on a daily basis, whether against regulations or not. They came to work everyday, unlike many others who got paid to sit home. Like many of your buddies.

Bernie O'Hare said...

Au contraire. I am well aware of the situation and my facts are correct. The person who tested positive was out for a week before and thus had no close contacts. You only go back five days from when a person began to first show symptoms. I took the course on contact tracing and know that none of you would be considered a contact. The county followed the correct procedure, and the proof of that is that none of you were infected. It's too bad there's no treatment for shitty morale.

Anonymous said...

You are sadly incorrect Mr. O'Hare. Office in which party with C19 in question was in the office up until illness and symptoms appeared and confirmed by doctors via test. Said employee was never out of the office as you mention before illness struck. Employees did have close contact with other employees for 8 hours per day up until leaving when sick and the administration did nothing. Just confirmed it with the two parties I know in said office 'as I previously mentioned 'and they confirmed it with the employee as well. You are apparently thinking of another office sir and owe these people an apology for saying they don't earn their pay. They did and still do.

Bernie O'Hare said...

I stand by what I wrote and unlike you, I sign my name. I also think you've proven how one negative person can infect a group, not with Covid-19, but shitty morale.

Anonymous said...

Bernie, the incidents at the jail occurred over the past week and not over the weekend. IMO if our government cared more about mental illness (i.e. closing Allentown State Hospital for example) then maybe we wouldn't be having as many as these discussions. Thanks for having our backs.

Anonymous said...

6/22/20 5:44 As I mentioned, Admin will retaliate against the employees. It's a thing called protection. Wish you could understand this. You can't except the fact you made a mistake and feel the need to get nasty. It's no big deal Mr. O'Hare. We all make mistakes. You just picked the wrong office or department in this blog. Don't know why my friends , wife and the employees would make things up, including the party who was ill. Guess they are all liars? Apparently there is more going on the courthouse that we both know about. As far as shitty morale, not sure where that is coming from either. Its nothing new. The courthouse has always had problems with it. It starts at the top and exist throughout Norco in most if not all offices. It also comes from people who disrespect the employees or attempt to take privilege with said offices and try to take advantage even thought against county or state policy. Then bitch about it.

Bernie O'Hare said...

Only one office at the courthouse had this problem, and I know all about it and correctly stated the facts. You failed to even name the department. There is only one of those at the courthouse with shitty morale. Name the office, anonymous coward. If you are so afraid of retaliation, you would never have posted at all. You're not, so name the office.

Anonymous said...

Speaking of the Hazard Pay, coming from a reliable source 6 people in the Department of Corrections did not receive Hazard Pay they were deemed essential and were at risk as soon as they walked through the door.