LAWTON – Comanche County is opening its premium pay program to employees who worked for the county during the COVID-19 pandemic but are no longer on the payroll.
The Board of Comanche County Commissioners voted 3-0 Monday to include former employees in the program, which provides hazard pay for people who work for the county, the Comanche County Agricultural and Industrial Exposition and Fair Public Trust Authority and the Comanche County Facilities Authority.
“This would offer an expansion of premium pay to include those employees who worked during that period and then left in good standing between when the period of the pandemic ended and when the premium pay plan was declared last year,” said David Floyd, an attorney with the Norman-based Floyd Law Firm. “Employees who think they might qualify will have 60 days to come forward to their supervisor and request something on premium pay.”
Floyd, whose law firm is advising the county on issues related to the American Rescue Plan Act spending, said county officials will review those requests. Approved requests would fall under the same guidelines as premium pay for current county employees.
Funding for the premium pay program comes out of the county’s share of ARPA dollars. The county has received about $12.5 million so far, and the rest is due later this year.
In November 2021, the county earmarked $3.6 million in ARPA funds to provide premium pay for essential employees who were on the payroll between April 1, 2020, and May 31, 2021. Monday’s decision will add former employees who worked during that period to the list.
The ARPA allows local governments to provide hazard pay for workers who performed crucial tasks during the pandemic.
County officials expect only a handful of former employees to request premium pay, Commission Chairman Alvin Cargill said Tuesday. He added that the county will not have to earmark additional money to cover any requests that do come in.
“The money’s there for it already,” he said. “We’ve just got to tap that money.”