The city of Atlanta’s essential frontline workers will get an additional $500 per month in “premium pay” through next June for working during the pandemic.

The City Council on Monday approved the additional payments, which come from the federal American Rescue Plan dollars allocated to the city.

Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms first instituted hazard pay for 5,400 employees who worked on the frontlines — including police and firefighters, solid waste workers and parks and recreation staff — in March 2020.

Those payments ceased at the end of June 2021, but Councilwoman Marci Collier Overstreet, who sponsored the legislation, said an extension was crucial.

“It was important to me to either reinstate hazard pay or compensate our mission critical employees for doing their jobs. These are often jobs that no one else will do, yet we couldn’t survive without them,” Overstreet said in a statement.

She said she worked with Bottoms’ office and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, which represents the city’s employees, on the new pay package, which will start immediately.

“This important legislation recognizes the continued hard work and support of our frontline employees and strives to improve the safety and services to our communities,” Bottoms said in a statement.

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Joe Rich had moved to 3935 Paces Manor 2.5 year ago. on Tuesday, Sept. 22,2009, he was trapped at his house with no way out - but a boat. He has been ferrying various things back and forth and is surprised he still has power. Vinings residents were dealing with a major flooding issue Tuesday, as the Chattahoochee River made its way along the banks near Paces Ferry Road.  Many residents with upscale homes were hit hard, some for the second time since an earlier post millennia flooding episode. Since early Monday, seven lives have been taken and several other people remain missing. The record-setting rains also have closed schools and roads and have left people stranded in their homes. The river's level near Vinings was at 27.36 feet before daybreak Tuesday after cresting at 28.1 feet overnight. Flood stage is 14 feet, and anything above 20 feet is considered "major" flooding. (Photo: John Spink, jspink@ajc.com)

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People join a rally in support for U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention employees on Tuesday afternoon, April 1, 2025, at the Atlanta headquarters after federal cuts triggered significant layoffs. (Photo: Jenni Girtman for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution)

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