Media Advisory – For Immediate Release

NYC’s Premium Pay for Essential Workers is Excluding Frontline Doctors
City Council Hearing on COVID-19 Relief Package – Premiums for essential workers

New York, NY- For weeks, resident physicians, interns and fellows have served on the frontline of New York’s COVID-19 response alongside nurses, attendings and other health care workers. Represented by the Committee of Interns and Residents/SEIU (CIR), these Housestaff doctors serve among the communities hardest hit by COVID-19 in New York and the country. 

In many cases, CIR Residents are using their own personal resources in this fight, risking their lives and those of their family members to meet this challenge.

Already over 1,300 Housestaff physicians petitioned NYC Health + Hospitals (NYC H+H) CEO Dr. Mitchel Katz to provide hazard pay for Residents during this time. However without City authorization, NYC H+H will do so. Providing hazard pay for Housestaff physicians demonstrates that the City recognizes the selfless commitment shown by residents, interns and fellows during this pandemic.

Who: Resident physicians from public and private NY hospitals represented by the Committee of Interns and Residents will submit live and written testimony against the exclusions of interns, residents and fellows from City Council’s proposed premium pay. 

What: On Tuesday, City Council will introduce COVID-19 Relief Package – Premiums for essential workers. Within the bill, premium pay, or hazard pay, as proposed by the New York City Council would exclude all public sector employees, salaried private sector employees, and most or some union members. 

Where: The hearing will be remote. Please click here to watch the livestream. 

When: Tuesday, May 5, 2020 from 10:00 AM

Background: CIR launched a COVID-19 Resources page for resident physicians affected during the pandemic, found here. Press coverage of our members during this crisis can be accessed on CIR’s press clips page.

The Committee of Interns and Residents (CIR) is the largest housestaff union in the United States. A local of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), representing over 17,000 resident physicians and fellows. Our members are dedicated to improving residency training and education, advancing patient care, and expanding healthcare access for our communities.