The Phoenix City Council approved a measure by a 6-3 vote Dec. 15 to pay vaccinated employees up to a $2,000 bonus through the American Rescue Plan Act.
According to city documents, the city received about $396 million in ARPA funds. City documents said Phoenix received its first payment of $198 million in May 2021 and is scheduled to receive about $198 million in additional ARPA funds for fiscal year 2022-23, documents said.
City officials are “permitted to use ARPA funds to pay additional compensation, or ‘premium pay,’ to eligible workers performing essential work during the COVID-19 public health emergency. Premium pay is intended for the workers who have been and continue to be relied on to maintain continuity of operations of essential critical infrastructure sectors, including those who are critical to protecting the health and well-being of their communities,” city documents said.
