New comptroller seeks more funds for essential worker bonus program

Comptroller-elect Sean Scanlon has called on the state legislature to increase funding to the Premium Pay program designed to compensate private sector essential workers for their output during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Scanlon told a press conference in Hartford yesterday that the $30 million allocated for bonuses will create a bonus payment of only $233 per worker and not the $1,000 per worker envisioned by the program”™s creators. Scanlon estimated an additional $122 million to fund the program in order to achieve the proposed $1,000 per worker bonus. The program does not offer bonuses to public sector workers, including police officers and firefighters.

However, CTNewsJunkie.com reported that Gov. Ned Lamont was noncommittal on Scanlon”™s proposal while House Minority Leader Vincent Candelora referred to Scanlon”™s as “reckless” and claimed it would “take $100 million of tax money and throw it into a program for people who don”™t need the money.”