Hazard Pay for Health Care Heroes Act
- Bill Number
- S. 4357
- Origin Chamber
- Senate
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 2
- Policy Area
- Health
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2026-04-21: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
- Last Updated
- 2026-05-13T19:20:17Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose
The Hazard Pay for Health Care Heroes Act (S. 4357) aims to protect essential health care workers during emergencies or disasters by authorizing federal grants to health care facilities. These grants fund extra pay for hazardous work and safety measures like protective gear.
Key Provisions
- Definitions:
- Emergency or disaster: Includes presidentially declared major disasters, emergencies, national emergencies, public health emergencies (under section 319 of the Public Health Service Act), or state/local/territorial/Tribal declarations.
- Essential health care worker: Covers health care providers (including direct care workers), medical technologists, public health workers, orderlies, janitorial staff in health care settings, and other roles deemed essential by the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS).
- Eligible health care worker: An essential worker whose job cannot be done remotely.
- Grants:
- HHS Secretary may award grants to public or private nonprofit health care facilities and home health agencies.
- Primary use: Hazardous duty compensation—up to $13 per hour extra (on top of regular wages) for hazardous work or commutes during an emergency/disaster; capped at $25,000 per worker per year.
- Other uses: Safety measures such as alternative transportation, personal protective equipment (PPE), and similar protections.
- Funding: Authorizes "such sums as may be necessary" (no specific amount set).
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- Adds a new section (319D-2) to the Public Health Service Act, creating a previously unavailable grant program specifically for hazard pay and protections for essential health care workers during declared emergencies.
- Links eligibility to existing disaster declaration mechanisms without altering them.
Potential Impacts
- Government agencies: HHS gains new grant administration duties, requiring staffing and oversight; Congress must appropriate funds.
- Citizens: Essential health care workers receive financial incentives and safety support during crises, potentially improving retention and morale; facilities benefit from federal aid to cover costs.
- International relations: None apparent.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Essential health care workers (e.g., nurses, aides, cleaners in health settings)—direct recipients of pay and protections.
- Health care facilities and home health agencies (public/nonprofit)—eligible grant recipients.
- HHS Secretary and federal government—responsible for program implementation and determinations.
- State/local/Tribal governments—their emergency declarations can trigger eligibility.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal: Relies on Secretary's discretion for "essential" roles and hazard determinations, which could lead to administrative challenges or lawsuits over eligibility.
- Constitutional: Uses Congress's spending power to support public health; ties to established emergency powers under the Stafford Act and National Emergencies Act.
- Political: Recognizes frontline workers as "heroes," potentially influencing labor and health policy debates; open-ended funding authorization allows flexibility but invites partisan funding disputes.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Cosponsors (1)
Recent Actions
- 2026-04-21: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
- 2026-04-21: Introduced in Senate
Bill Versions
- Hazard Pay for Health Care Heroes Act — issued 2026-04-21 — PDF (5 pages)