Healthcare workers can receive $12,500 for relocating to Montana

A panel of lawmakers under the administration of governor Greg Gianforte unanimously voted on the recommendation to use the $4.3 million that the state received as part of the federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) to a new program.

The state plans to use the leftover money from its "return-to-work" bonus program for paying healthcare workers and other related staff to move to Montana. Montana was given $15 million to offer one-time bonuses to residents who went back to work. This was done to handle the Covid-19 crisis which is acute throughout the state especially with a shortage of workers. The state will pay up to $12,500 to cover the relocation expenses and the taxes on the additional income to each out-of-state healthcare worker who works in Montana for at least a year. The state's ARPA director Scott Mendenhall said that this program is expected to cover at least 238 relocations. Mendall said that they have always struggled with a worker's shortage and the pandemic has made it worse. There is news that healthcare workers in other states are being fired or are walking off their jobs in which case they can come to Montana where there is an abundance of vacant positions. 

Multiple employees are being fired or are quitting their jobs due to the vaccination mandate in large states like New York. Although currently, Montana has banned employers from establishing a vaccination mandate, the situation can change depending on the upcoming federal regulations. 

Source: Bozeman Daily Chronicle