As healthcare organizations struggle to maintain adequate levels of staffing in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, New York State (NYS) is providing financial support to recruit, retain and reward certain frontline healthcare workers.
The FY 2023 NYS budget allocates $1.2 billion to the new Health Care and Mental Hygiene Worker Bonus (HWB) Program. The program offers bonuses of up to $3,000 to each eligible employee.
Employee Eligibility
To be eligible for an HWB bonus, a worker must make less than $125,000 annually and work for a qualified Medicaid provider for a consecutive 6-month period between October 1, 2021 and March 31, 2024.
Eligible employees can be full-time, part-time, temporary or independent contractors. Bonus amounts are commensurate with the number of hours worked.
Employer Obligations
Employers are responsible for submitting bonus claims for their HWB-eligible employees. The 6-month “vesting” period for determining employee eligibility will also determine claim submission deadlines (as outlined in the chart below).
Employers who fail to submit claims for more than 10% of their eligible workers will be subject to penalties up to $1,000 per violation.
Grassi Healthcare Advisors is assisting providers with payroll analysis to verify eligible workers, as well as the timely submission of attestation forms and claims through the Healthcare Worker Bonus Portal. For more information, please contact Joseph Tomaino, CEO of Grassi Healthcare Advisors.
