City gives first responders in South Lake Tahoe $2,500 in one-time hazard pay

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The South Lake Tahoe City Council acknowledged the ongoing risk and exposure to the COVID-19 virus that City’s front-line public safety personnel have faced, and continue to face, while performing their regular duties along with added COVID-19 duties and responsibilities.

Some of these COVID-19 duties and responsibilities include organizing and staffing vaccination clinics, responding to emergency calls requiring close interactions with individuals who have COVID-19, and providing outreach on and enforcement of local, regional, and state-wide COVID-related orders.

The City Council’s acknowledgment of the ongoing risk and exposure led them to pass a resolution Tuesday authorizing a one-time $2,500 COVID-19 hazard paycheck for all firefighters, police officers, community service officers who were on paid status as of April 20, 2021. All of those staff members, including the fire and police chiefs, will see the extra pay with the May 6 payroll.

"We are happy to acknowledge the hard and dangerous work of our first responders during the pandemic," said Mayor Tamara Wallace. "They have gone into situations that most of the rest of us would not during this medical crisis and I, for one, am grateful they were there to protect and serve our community. This 'hazard pay' is only one way for us to show our appreciation."

The hazard pay adds up to about $260,000. In January, Council allocated $700,000 of undesignated fund balance to establish a COVID-19 Small Business Sustainability Loan Program. The loan committee approved fifty-five loans totaling $407,500 in three rounds prior to the program being closed, leaving $292,500 of previously appropriated funds available for other uses. The hazard pay will come from this balance.