Vicksburg reinstates hazard pay for first responders and front line workers

Last updated: July 22, 2020

During Wednesday’s press conference, Vicksburg Mayor George Flaggs Jr. claimed that firefighters, police officers, and some water and gas employees were still receiving hazard pay and that federal COVID-19 relief funds under the CARES act were being used to cover these expenses.

The city had provided hazard pay for first responders and others during the earlier stages of the city’s response to the pandemic.

The Vicksburg Daily News’ David Day repeatedly pressed Flaggs on the issue, as Day was watching the live stream comments disputing the mayor’s claim.

Flaggs notified the Vicksburg Daily News later in the afternoon that he was incorrect in his statement. After meeting with City Accounting Director Doug Whittington and City Attorney Nancy Thomas, Flaggs realized that hazard pay had in fact been discontinued June 1 when police officers returned to normal shifts after the curfews were lifted.

The decision has been made to reinstate hazard pay and make it retroactive. The city released the following statement on its website:

During the Mayor’s Q&A on 15 July 2020, some questions about hazardous pay for first responders and other front-line workers in the Gas Department were expressed. The desire for the City of Vicksburg is to make sure we fulfill our promises to the men and women that serve our community selflessly on a day-to-day basis. All police, fire, and gas employees that should have received pay for the time from when it stopped until today, will receive a check for all unpaid hazardous pay. Going forward, these same employees will receive hazardous pay until the City of Vicksburg is fully reopened according to state guidelines.