Sec. 2. Hero pay for eligible workers at hospitals in COVID–19 hot spots
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/bill/116/hr/8245/ih/section-2A research copy — for the controlling text, always check the official state or federal source. Not legal advice.
Subject to the availability of appropriations, the Secretary of Health and Human Services (in this section referred to as the Secretary ) shall make a payment to each eligible hospital to provide hero pay to each eligible worker of the hospital. To be eligible to seek a payment under this section, a hospital shall— be located in an area that is or was a COVID–19 hot spot identified pursuant to subsection (b); and submit an application at such time, in such manner, and containing such information and assurances as the Secretary may require.
To be eligible to receive hero pay pursuant to this section, a worker shall— be a health care professional (including individuals charged with assisting in health care services, the nonmedical care of patients, or maintaining order and cleanliness) serving as the employee or agent of a hospital receiving a payment under this section; and provide treatment or other applicable services at the hospital directly to patients with COVID–19. A hospital receiving a payment under this section may provide hero pay to a worker under this section only with respect to months during which— the hospital is located, for any number of days, in a COVID–19 hot spot identified pursuant to subsection (b); and the worker provides treatment or other applicable services, as described in paragraph (3), for a minimum of 10 work days.
The amount of the hero pay with respect to an eligible worker shall be— $110 for March, 2020, if the payment period for such worker includes such month; and $225 for any other applicable month. For purposes of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, gross income shall not include hero pay under this section. For purposes of this section, the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (in this section referred to as the Director ) shall identify all COVID–19 hot spots in the United States.
In this section, the term COVID–19 hot spot means an area— for which a State declaration of emergency is in effect in connection with COVID–19; and that has, as determined by the Director, a high rate of hospitalization associated with COVID–19.