Torrance, CA – Assemblymember Al Muratsuchi (D-Torrance)'s AB 650, the Health Care Worker Recognition and Retention Act, passed the Assembly Committee on Labor and Employment on a 4-2 vote. The bill requires health care employers with more than 100 employees to pay all non-executive employees a recognition and retention bonus each quarter in 2022 for their work during the pandemic.
"We need to go beyond just saying thank you to our frontline workers. Every time they have gone to work during this pandemic health care workers have known they are entering a dangerous workplace and have put themselves and their families at risk to care for others during this crisis. They have weathered staffing shortages and worked long hours with few breaks in order to fight this disease and save lives," said Assemblymember Al Muratsuchi. "This bill will provide substantial, tangible proof to health care workers that we recognize their sacrifice and value essential work to care for our families and communities during the COVID-19 pandemic and into the future."
AB 650 would cover workers at hospitals, nursing homes, clinics, medical groups or other private sector health care providers who have been disproportionately impacted and have put themselves at risk to care for Californians every day during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Numerous projections have showed that California is facing a future shortage of health care workers needed to care for our population. The COVID-19 crisis could make that shortage dramatically worse. Since the start of the pandemic 14% of health care workers have considered leaving the profession.
Assemblymember Al Muratsuchi represents California's 66th Assembly District, which includes El Camino Village, Gardena, Harbor City, Harbor Gateway, Hermosa Beach, Lomita, Los Angeles, Manhattan Beach, Palos Verdes Estates, Rancho Palos Verdes, Redondo Beach, Rolling Hills, Rolling Hills Estates, Torrance, and West Carson. Muratsuchi is the Chair of the Joint Legislative Committee on Climate Change Policies and the Assembly Select Committee on Aerospace. He is a member of the Assembly Committees on Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials; Natural Resources; Utilities and Energy; Veterans Affairs; and Water, Parks and Wildlife.
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