Anne Arundel Co. announces coronavirus vaccine incentive for county employees

FILE - A pharmacy technician loads a syringe with Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine, Tuesday, March 2, 2021, at a mass vaccination site at the Portland Expo in Portland, Maine. U.S. experts are expected to recommend COVID-19 vaccine boosters for all Americans, regardless of age, eight months after they received their second dose of the shot, to ensure lasting protection against the coronavirus as the delta variant spreads across the country. An announcement was expected as soon as this week, with doses beginning to be administered widely once the Food and Drug Administration formally approves the vaccines. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)(AP/Robert F. Bukaty)

County employees in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, can get paid to get the coronavirus vaccine.

The incentive comes in the form of a $1,000 one-time payment if county employees get vaccinated by Nov. 30.

And it includes those who have already been vaccinated as well.

“Through working closely with our agency and union leadership, we developed an incentive we believe will help get more of our staff vaccinated,” County Executive Steuart Pittman said. “With cold and flu season rapidly approaching, we must do everything in our power to boost vaccination rates, and we believe that this program will do just that among our public servants.”

Employees who have worked more than 1,000 hours in FY 2020 and are still on the payroll the week of Sep. 13 will also be eligible for the incentive, according to a county news release.

“Our hope is that the increase in vaccinated employees will ultimately reduce the excessive costs, as well as the staffing and scheduling burdens associated with implementing a testing regimen for unvaccinated employees,” Chief Administrative Officer Matt Power said. “With a finite amount of resources and a clear public health goal — to get all eligible staff vaccinated as soon as possible — we’re focusing our efforts on increasing vaccinations and protecting our workforce.”

The portal to enter vaccination information to get the incentive payment will launch the week of Sept. 13.

County employees on the county payroll who upload verification of vaccination by Sept. 20 will get their funds by payroll check or direct deposit on Oct. 15, according to the news release.


More Coronavirus News

Looking for more information? D.C., Maryland and Virginia are each releasing more data every day. Visit their official sites here: Virginia | Maryland | D.C.


Valerie Bonk

Valerie Bonk started working at WTOP in 2016 and has lived in Howard County, Maryland, her entire life. She's thrilled to be a reporter for WTOP telling stories on air. She works as both a television and radio reporter in the Maryland and D.C. areas. 

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