Howard County Executive Calvin Ball signed an executive order allowing one-time discretionary bonus payments to personnel who must report to work to perform mission critical work. The order provides a $1,500 bonus to full-time on-site personnel and $600 to those who are intermittently on-site.

The order defines emergency personnel as firefighters, paramedics and emergency medical technicians, law enforcement officers, correctional officers, 911 operators, public works personnel, emergency management personnel, employees with training, skill, or expertise necessary to operate specialized equipment or to provide aid in a declared emergency, including for a catastrophic health emergency, and other employees who provide support functions in their agencies and whose work is not able to be performed through telework.

Employees who are eligible for COVID-19 Response Pay will be identified by department heads, with payments expected to go out on May 8.