Mount Clemens approves one-month hazard pay for frontline workers
May 29, 2024 | Mount Clemens, Macomb County, Michigan
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Mount Clemens — The City Commission approved a one-month hazard-pay program for frontline employees on April 22, 2020, voting to provide an extra $2 per hour for eligible hours worked in April and to exclude that payment from employer pension contributions.
City Manager Mr Johnson presented the plan after commissioners requested an approach tailored to the city’s workforce and budget. The approved motion limited the program to a short period and specified that hazard pay would be paid only for hours worked and would not apply to vacation, sick leave, FMLA/EFMLA or compensatory time. The motion also included language that the payment would be treated as a special payment not included in final-average compensation for pension calculations.
The main dispute during debate centered on eligibility and cost. Commissioner Forier urged restricting hazard pay to the highest-exposure groups, including firefighters and Dial‑A‑Ride drivers, and favored a one-month sunset so the city could re-evaluate costs. Commissioner Mener repeatedly raised budget concerns and the program’s potential impact on city finances, noting that cost estimates ranged from about $21,500 up to larger figures discussed in the meeting.
A motion to approve hazard pay for frontline employees (as moved, specifying firefighters and Dial‑A‑Ride operators and the pension-exclusion language) passed on a roll call: Mener — no; Mayor Laura Crop — yes; Forier — yes; Hammond — yes; Campbell — yes; Vorhees — yes. The commission did not adopt a retroactive period beyond the month covered by the motion; commissioners said they could revisit the program in May if conditions changed.
The measure is designed as a short-term, targeted payment during the COVID‑19 emergency; commissioners repeatedly said they would assess budget impacts and consider extensions only if the governor’s emergency orders or the city’s finances warranted further action.
The commission adjourned other business after the vote and moved on to additional agenda items.
City Manager Mr Johnson presented the plan after commissioners requested an approach tailored to the city’s workforce and budget. The approved motion limited the program to a short period and specified that hazard pay would be paid only for hours worked and would not apply to vacation, sick leave, FMLA/EFMLA or compensatory time. The motion also included language that the payment would be treated as a special payment not included in final-average compensation for pension calculations.
The main dispute during debate centered on eligibility and cost. Commissioner Forier urged restricting hazard pay to the highest-exposure groups, including firefighters and Dial‑A‑Ride drivers, and favored a one-month sunset so the city could re-evaluate costs. Commissioner Mener repeatedly raised budget concerns and the program’s potential impact on city finances, noting that cost estimates ranged from about $21,500 up to larger figures discussed in the meeting.
A motion to approve hazard pay for frontline employees (as moved, specifying firefighters and Dial‑A‑Ride operators and the pension-exclusion language) passed on a roll call: Mener — no; Mayor Laura Crop — yes; Forier — yes; Hammond — yes; Campbell — yes; Vorhees — yes. The commission did not adopt a retroactive period beyond the month covered by the motion; commissioners said they could revisit the program in May if conditions changed.
The measure is designed as a short-term, targeted payment during the COVID‑19 emergency; commissioners repeatedly said they would assess budget impacts and consider extensions only if the governor’s emergency orders or the city’s finances warranted further action.
The commission adjourned other business after the vote and moved on to additional agenda items.
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