Workers who support command centers, including, but not limited to Network Operations Command Centers, Broadcast Operations Control Centers and Security Operations Command Centers. Workers for crude oil, petroleum and petroleum product storage and transportation, including pipeline, marine transport, terminals, rail transport, storage facilities and racks and road transport for use as end-use fuels such as gasoline, diesel fuel, jet fuel, and heating fuels or feedstocks for chemical manufacturing. Environment and Natural Resources. Eligible employees may include health care, long-term care and home care workers, childcare workers, educators and education staff, farm workers, grocery store workers, food production facility workers, social workers, transportation workers, utility workers and technicians and foster parents. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts Executive Office for Administration and Finance (A&F) Federal Funds Office (FFO) is responsible for maximizing federal revenue and minimizing compliance risks associated with federal grants in the Commonwealth. And, again, 126 state representatives and 23 state senators were willing to sign onto this because the symbolism of the gesture was more important than assessing whether it was a financially responsible decision. Gov. Personnel working for companies, and their subcontractors, who perform under contract or sub-contract to the Department of Defense, as well as personnel at government-owned/contractor- operated and government-owned/government-operated facilities, and who provide materials and services to the Department of Defense, including support for weapon systems, software systems and cybersecurity, defense and intelligence communications and surveillance, space systems and other activities in support of our military, intelligence and space forces. He has not yet confirmed that he'll sign the bill into law. Please enter valid email address to continue. Healthcare providers and Caregivers including physicians, dentists, psychologists, mid-level practitioners, nurses and assistants, infection control and quality assurance personnel, pharmacists, physical and occupational therapists and assistants, social workers, optometrists, speech pathologists, chiropractors, other providers of mental and behavioral health care, peer support and recovery coach workers, personal care attendants, home health aides and home care workers, and diagnostic and therapeutic technicians and technologists. Environment and Natural Resources. The legislation suggests that those eligible may include but not be limited to health care workers, long-term care workers, public health staff, childcare workers, educators and school staff, farm workers, food production workers, grocery store and other service workers, transportation workers, utility workers and foster care parents. Workers at hotels, motels, inns, and other lodgings providing overnight accommodation, but only to the degree those lodgings are offered or provided to accommodate the COVID-19 Essential Workforce, other workers responding to the COVID-19 public health emergency, and vulnerable populations. But, again, 79% of Massachusetts state representatives are on board with their support without taking any interest in the cost of the proposal, and even Zlotnik himself is not troubled by having brought forward a bill with such serious deficiencies. 1195) of Paul R. Feeney for legislation to provide hazard pay and protection for essential workers during a "State of Emergency" declaration. Workers supporting the operation of firearm or ammunition product manufacturers, importers, and distributors. All businesses and organizations that provided COVID-19 Essential Services were included in Phase 1 of the reopening plan. In a statement posted on their website, they criticized the broad coverage acting as an unfunded mandate for municipalities, including workers even if they had worked outside their home for a single day, encompassing both blue collar and white collar workers. Top-requested sites to log in to services provided by the state. Whats more, nowhere in any of the discussion does Zlotnik or any of the bills supporters suggest that among the revisions would be any notion that the state should pay for the added cost up-front. Retail fuel centers such as gas stations and truck stops, and the distribution systems that support them. Workers necessary for the manufacturing of metals (including steel and aluminum), industrial minerals, semiconductors, materials and products needed for medical supply chains, and for supply chains associated with transportation, energy, communications, information technology, food and agriculture, chemical manufacturing, nuclear facilities, wood products, commodities used as fuel for power generation facilities, the operation of dams, water and wastewater treatment, processing and reprocessing of solid waste, emergency services, and the defense industrial base. Manufacturer workers for health manufacturing (including biotechnology companies), materials and parts suppliers, logistics and warehouse operators, distributors of medical equipment (including those who test and repair), personal protective equipment (PPE), isolation barriers, medical gases, pharmaceuticals (including companies and institutions involved in the research and development, manufacture, distribution, warehousing, and supplying of pharmaceuticals, biotechnology therapies, and medical devices, diagnostics, equipment and services) (including materials used in radioactive drugs), dietary supplements, blood and blood products, vaccines, testing materials, laboratory supplies, cleaning, sanitizing, disinfecting or sterilization supplies, and tissue and paper towel products. Chemical and equipment suppliers to water and wastewater systems and personnel protection. For legislation to save recycling costs in the commonwealth. Workers who support radio, television, newspaper and media service, including, but not limited to front-line news reporters, studio, and technicians for newsgathering, and reporting, and publishing news. Workers who are needed to maintain orderly market operations to ensure the continuity of financial transactions and services. Environment and Natural Resources. Environmental remediation/monitoring, limited to immediate critical needs technicians. A lock icon ( The spending package, funded by the American Rescue Plan Act, is now headed to Gov. Mass.gov is a registered service mark of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Workers providing personal and household goods repair and maintenance. Essential support personnel for electricity operations. Workers supporting the operation and maintenance of facilities (particularly those with high risk chemicals and/ or sites that cannot be shut down) whose work cannot be done remotely and requires the presence of highly trained personnel to ensure safe operations, including plant contract workers who provide inspections. Workers in hardware and building materials stores, consumer electronics, technology and appliances retail, and related merchant wholesalers and distributors - with reduced staff to ensure continued operations. Workers performing security, incident management, and emergency operations functions at or on behalf of healthcare entities including healthcare coalitions, who cannot practically work remotely. Propane gas storage, transmission, and distribution centers. Critical government workers, as defined by the employer and consistent with Continuity of, Workers that provide services for or determine eligibility for public benefits such as subsidized health care, food and feeding programs, residential and congregate care programs, shelter, in-home supportive services, child welfare, juvenile justice programs, adult protective services and social services, and other necessities of life for economically disadvantaged or otherwise needy individuals (including family members), Professional services (such as legal, accounting and tax preparation) and payroll and employee benefit services when necessary to assist in compliance with legally mandated activities and critical sector services or where failure to provide such services during the time of the order would result in significant prejudice, Commercial retail stores that supply essential sectors, including convenience stores, pet supply stores, auto supplies and repair, hardware and home improvement, and home appliance retailers, Workers and instructors supporting academies or training facilities and courses or assessments for the purpose of graduating or certifying, during the duration of the state of emergency, healthcare personnel, cadets, and other workers who are critical to the ongoing response to COVID-19. https://malegislature.gov/Search/FindMyLegislator, Massachusetts Coalition For Occupational Safety And Health, Families of Fallen Workers Support Services, https://malegislature.gov/Search/FindMyLegislator, Worker Health and Safety Agenda for the 2021 Legislative Session, Essential Worker Bill of Rights in Massachusetts, Act to Prevent Wage Theft, Promote Employer Accountability, and Enhance Public Enforcement. The Massachusetts Essential Worker Pension Boost Proposal Is A Case Study In Public Pension Failures More From Forbes Mar 19, 2023,03:11pm EDT Clean Please visit. Workers supporting the sanitation and pest control of all food manufacturing processes and operations from wholesale to retail. Animal agriculture workers to include those employed in veterinary health (including those involved in supporting emergency veterinary or livestock services); raising of animals for food; animal production operations; livestock markets; slaughter and packing plants, manufacturers, renderers, and associated regulatory and government workforce. Network Operations staff, engineers and/or technicians to include IT managers and staff, HVAC & electrical engineers, security personnel, software and hardware engineers, and database administrators that manage the network or operate facilities. Please let us know how we can improve this page. Income is also a major eligibility factor for the $500 payments. The bonuses could be a boost for essential workers in Massachusetts who may have been hoping that Congress would act on afourth stimulus check, which now appears unlikely. Workers including contracted vendors - who support the operation, inspection, maintenance and repair of essential public works facilities and operations, including roads and bridges, water and sewer, laboratories, fleet maintenance personnel, construction of critical or strategic infrastructure, traffic signal maintenance, emergency location services for buried utilities, and maintenance of digital systems infrastructure supporting public works operations. Workers who are needed to provide business, commercial, and consumer access to bank and non-bank financial services and lending services, including ATMs, lending and money transmission, and to move currency, checks, securities, and payments (e.g., armored cash carriers). Thank you for your website feedback! "The panel shall also consider factors including, but not limited to, an essential worker's increased financial burden and increased risk of exposure to COVID-19, due to the nature of their work and any bonuses or hazard pay a worker has already received for their work during the COVID-19 pandemic and the amount thereof," the legislation states. Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own. Workers supporting the construction of housing, including those supporting government functions related to the building and development process, such as inspections, permitting and plan review services that can be modified to protect the public health, including allowing qualified private third-party inspections accountable to government agencies). For legislation relative to telehealth and digital equity for patients. Farmers, farm workers, support service workers, and their supplier employees to include those engaged in producing and harvesting field crops; commodity inspection; fuel ethanol facilities; biodiesel and renewable diesel facilities; storage facilities; and other agricultural inputs. Advanced Information Technology, the Internet and Cybersecurity. Operational staff at wastewater treatment facilities. Operational staff at wastewater collection facilities. Federal, State, and Local, Tribal, and Territorial employees who support Mission Essential Functions and communications networks. Transmission and distribution pipeline workers, including compressor stations and any other required, operations maintenance, construction, and support for natural gas, natural gas liquid, propane, and other liquid fuels. Retail customer service personnel at critical service center locations for onboarding customers, distributing and repairing equipment and addressing customer issues in order to support individuals remote emergency communications needs, supply chain and logistics personnel to ensure goods and products are on-boarded to provision these front-line employees. Workers responsible for the leasing of residential properties and RV facilities to provide individuals and families with ready access to available housing. Residents slated to receive checks will have earned at least $12,750 in employment compensation in 2020, with their total household income at or below 300% of the federal poverty level in 2020. Manufacturing and distribution of equipment, supplies, and parts necessary to maintain production, maintenance, restoration, and service at energy sector facilities (across all energy sector segments). Workers in dependent care services, in support of workers in other essential products and services. For legislation to promote transparency and prevent price gouging of pharmaceutical drug prices. Workers who support onshore and offshore drilling operations, platform and drilling construction and maintenance; transportation (including helicopter operations); maritime transportation, supply, and dredging operations; maritime navigation; natural gas and natural gas liquid production, processing, extraction, storage and transportation; well intervention, monitoring, automation and control; waste disposal, and maintenance, construction, and operations. During a hearing on July 21, sponsor Rep. Jonathan Zlotnick explained his purpose in bringing the bill forward: This was the time when these essential services were most important, the people being asked to perform them were most at risk coming into contact with members of the public and with co-workers. Thank you for your website feedback! Employees of firms providing services, supplies, and equipment that enable warehouse and operations, including cooling, storing, packaging, and distributing products for wholesale or retail sale or use. Relative to health insurance consumer deductibles. All rights reserved (About Us). Farmers, farm workers, and agribusiness support services to include those employed in auction and sales: grain and oilseed handling, processing and distribution; animal food, feed, and ingredient production, packaging, and distribution; manufacturing, packaging, and distribution of veterinary drugs; truck delivery and transport; farm and fishery labor needed to produce our food supply domestically and for export. Supporting new and existing construction projects, including, but not limited to, pipeline construction. For legislation to establish the Massachusetts data privacy protection act. Eligible workers must have worked in person during the state of emergency that began on March 10, 2020 and lasted for more than a year. Workers supporting the production of protective cleaning and medical solutions, personal protective equipment, disinfectants, fragrances, and packaging that prevents the contamination of food, water, medicine, among others essential. Air transportation employees, including air traffic controllers and maintenance personnel, ramp workers, aviation and aerospace safety, security, and operations personnel and accident investigations. Massachusetts essential workers will soon receive $500 payments from the commonwealth. Natural gas, propane, natural gas liquids, and other liquid fuel processing plants, including construction, maintenance, and support operations. But the legislation, a bill to pay a bonus retirement credit to in-person public workers in that state, is still a terrible proposal. Published: Mar. The bill also includes $500 million for the unemployment insurance trust fund, $400 million in mental health and behavioral support, and hundreds of millions of dollars for climate preparedness, education, housing, economic recovery and workforce development. Workers supporting ecommerce through distribution, warehouse, call center facilities, and other essential operational support functions. Workers necessary for the manufacturing of materials and products needed to manufacture medical equipment and personal protective equipment (PPE). The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. Workers who support the supply chain of building materials from production through application/installation, including cabinetry, fixtures, doors, cement, hardware, plumbing, electrical, heating/cooling, refrigeration, appliances, paint/coatings, and employees who provide services that enable repair materials and equipment for essential functions. If so, are you experiencing problems? Local and state inspectors and administrative support of inspection services who are responsible for the inspection of elevators, escalators, lifts, buildings, plumbing and gas fitting, electrical work, and other safety related professional work. Workers supporting essential maintenance, manufacturing, design, operation, inspection, security, and construction for essential products, services, and supply chain and COVID-19 relief efforts. Workers supporting transportation via inland waterways such as barge crew, dredging, river port workers for essential goods. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. They continued to do their jobs, often exhibiting flexibility and creativity and an effort to ensure that those needs were met. Relative to the use of chlorpyrifos in the Commonwealth. Employees supporting or enabling transportation functions, including truck drivers, bus drivers, dispatchers, maintenance and repair technicians, warehouse workers, truck stop and rest area workers, Registry of Motor Vehicle (RMV) employees, towing/recovery services, roadside assistance workers, intermodal transportation personnel, and workers who maintain and inspect infrastructure (including those that require cross-jurisdiction travel). Financial Services. Title; H.3900 : An Act making appropriations for the fiscal year 2024 for the maintenance of the departments, boards, commissions, institutions, and certain activities Includes cold- and frozen-chain logistics for food and critical biologic products. Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement (updated 4/4/2023), Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (updated 1/26/2023). The spending package, if signed into law, would use some An official website of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, This page, COVID-19: Essential Services, is, The below list remains published for reference only.