PORTLAND, Maine — The Portland City Council will discuss bringing back hazard pay on Monday. That would effectively raise the minimum wage for workers in the city.
Hazard pay only took effect for a few days at the beginning of the new year but ended with the city’s state of emergency.
The new amendment up for debate Monday night would reinstate hazard pay as long as the city’s mask mandate stays in place.
The hazard pay raises the minimum wage in Portland up from $13 to $19.50 an hour.
The council will see the proposal for the first time on Monday night with a vote expected later this month.
Supporters of hazard pay have said that the higher minimum wage is necessary since workers are still putting their health on the line as COVID-19 continues to spread. The higher minimum wage is necessary for workers who are putting their health on the line.
But businesses have said they can’t afford those higher wages for an extended period of time.
A vote is expected later this month.
Councilors will also look to extend Portland’s mask mandate through at least March 7, meaning the higher minimum wage would be in effect for at least that long if the hazard pay amendment is approved.
The face-covering mandate in Portland is set to be revisited every 30 days, which means hazard pay would also be reevaluated monthly if passed.