How do we decide who is a "Hero" ?

The US government had initially decided to allow states to use up the extra pandemic relief funds to give bonuses or additional pay to frontline workers or those who worked constantly through the pandemic. This pay is called "Hero Pay" or "Hazard Pay". The category included people like healthcare staff, caregivers, correctional officers, etc. However, most states have found themselves in turmoil in an attempt to decide which professionals can be considered for the bonus.

Regulators believe that there is no decision insight that would satisfy all the groups. What this essentially does is, ask them to decide which job is more important than the other or who sacrificed more than the other. Should this include only government workers or private employees or the pool of healthcare workers, or should it include a larger pool including grocery workers? Workers who might qualify for the payment are saying that it's more about the acknowledgment of their work and effort rather than the paycheck. 

According to federal rules, states can use the remainder of their covid relief fund to pay essential workers up to $13 per hour additional on their regular wages. An employee cannot get more than $25,000. It also allows the funds to be allocated to third-party employers who had a large number of employees who are essential workers. The workers who qualify for the pay ranges from state to state. Connecticut has $20 million set aside to pay state employees and members of the Connecticut National Gaurd, while Minnesota has $250 million as hazard pay and is yet to decide who qualifies for the same. 

Source: CBS News