ROANOKE, Va – A new bill aiming to protect frontline workers is heading to Gov. Ralph Northam’s desk.
House Bill 1985 allows frontline healthcare workers to receive compensation for time taken off from work after they contracted COVID-19 in the workplace and helps cover medical expenses.
Delegate Chris Hurst, who represents Radford, Giles County and parts of Montgomery and Pulaski counties, siad those who dedicate their lives to saving others deserve fair compensation.
“We thought that we weren’t able to get this just 48 hours ago so I also have to say that we threw a Hail Mary, and we reached out to many people in leadership,” said Hurst.
The bill would cover anyone who applied for compensation dating back to the state’s first state of emergency on March 12, 2020.