Page 4 THE EVERETT ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2021 DiDomenico's Essential Employee Premium Pay Amendment included in Senate’s ARPA spending bill D uring the Massachusetts Senate’s recent debate of its $3.82 billion American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) spending bill – An Act relative to immediate COVID-19 recovery needs – State Senator Sal DiDomenico successfully negotiated the inclusion of nursing facility representation on the Essential Employee Premium Pay advisory panel proposed under the Senate bill. This massive spending package includes $500 million for bonuses for essential employees who served during the pandemic, and it tasks an advisory panel with determining who would be eligible for these bonuses. Recognizing that there was inadequate representation of eldercare providers on the proposed Premium Pay panel, DiDomenico fi led an amendment to the Senate bill that added a member of the Massachusetts Senior Care Association to represent nursing facility employees on the advisory panel. The overwhelming majority of staff within the nursing facility community worked overtime to ensure adequate care coverage during the COVID-19 pandemic to protect their residents. The nursing facility community’s perspective on the establishment of the essential employee pay program is necessary to refl ect the key role of these workers. “Massachusetts elder-care nurses have been working overtime on the frontlines all throughout the COVID-19 panCOUNCILLOR | FROM PAGE 1 problem” during the past two years. However, he lauddemic,” said DiDomenico. “The adoption of this amendment is crucial to providing the nursing facility community with a voice on this panel, especially given all of their hard work and dedication to keeping their residents safe and healthy.” The ARPA spending bill was unanimously passed by the Senate on November 10 and directs federal ARPA funding to assist the Commonwealth’s ongoing recovery. It particularly focuses on making equitable investments and ensuring that communities disESSENTIAL | SEE PAGE 21 ed the Everett and State Police for implementing a temporary traffic management plan. “The Everett Police DeSal DiDomenico State Senator partment, in conjunction with the State Police, have COUNCILLOR | SEE PAGE 22 The temporary traffi c management plan for the Gateway Center Mall will be in eff ect every weekend in December. (Photo Courtesy of the Everett Police Department) Monogram D4 Double siding Cedar impression half rounds Harvey Vinyl 63 Replacement Windows Custom Aluminum Trim work Windows & Doors Top quality Vinyl Siding! •Vinyl Siding •Carpentry Work •Decks •Roofing •Free Estimates •Replacement Windows •Fully Licensed •Fully Insured
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