Hoboken Employees Who Get Vaccinated Could Receive $1,000: Report

Hoboken NJ

17 August, 2021

10:30 PM

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HOBOKEN, NJ — After Hoboken Mayor Ravi Bhalla released on Tuesday the first phase of the Hoboken Rescue Plan — a plan to allocate over $13.2 million of federal funding toward small business relief and other measures — the city's spokeswoman answered questions about a provision to reward Hoboken city employees, police, and firefighters with up to $1,000 each for getting vaccinated. City spokeswoman Marilyn Baer confirmed the provision in an article in Hudson County View on Tuesday. The money would be meant to encourage city workers "to be a model and lead by example by getting vaccinated," Baer said in the story. "The overwhelming majority of serious COVID-19 cases, hospital admissions, and COVID-related deaths occur among those not vaccinated." Read more about this week's Hoboken coronavirus statistics here: One More Unvaccinated Patient In Hoboken's Hospital The city had announced earlier this month that all city workers, police, and firefighters had to get vaccinated or undergo weekly testing for the virus. READ MORE: All Hoboken Employees Must Get Vaccine Or Tested On Tuesday, Councilwoman Tiffanie Fisher said in a statement, "It is great to see the ARP funds being applied in these creative ways to benefit many including the taxpayer-friendly approach of funding items already appropriated in this year's municipal budget. But that hefty $600,000 vaccine incentives – using taxpayer funds to buy public employees…?" The figure was based on a number of 600 city workers, police officers, and firefighters. The rewards would include workers who already got vaccinated. Read more about the Hoboken Rescue Plan here: Hoboken City Council To Vote On New $13M 'Hoboken Rescue Plan' Besides more obvious measures like increasing COVID testing and vaccination efforts and helping small business, the city said some of the money could also go to art, recreation programs, and wifi in the low-income housing projects. It will also go toward staving off evictions. Read more about the Hoboken Rescue Plan here: Hoboken City Council To Vote On New $13M 'Hoboken Rescue Plan' The plan will be up for discussion at the City Council's virtual meeting at 7 p.m. Wednesday. Don't miss Hoboken breaking news alerts when they are announced, or get a free daily newsletter each morning with Hoboken news. Sign up with your preferences here. Got news? Email [email protected]. Got photos? Please include express written permission from the photographer for us to use them. To be the first to get free news alerts with breaking stories in your town, or to get a free local newsletter each morning, sign up for Patch breaking news alerts or daily newsletters.