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Federal employees who were exposed to COVID-19 in the workplace are now able to join a class-action lawsuit brought by the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) and a law firm.
AFGE and attorney Heidi Burakiewicz, of the law firm Kalijarvi, Chuzi, Newman and Fitch (KCNF), filed a lawsuit in the Court of Federal Claims in March 2020 seeking compensation for federal workers who have been exposed to COVID-19 in the workplace. The lawsuit seeks 25% hazardous duty pay for exposed General Schedule employees and 8% environmental differential pay for exposed Wage Grade employees.
A website was launched last week allowing federal employees to join the lawsuit, which was the first case filed on behalf of workers arising out of the pandemic.
According to AFGE, the lawsuit is not limited to members of AFGE — it covers all federal employees. But the court requires each person to sign up individually.
“Every federal worker who was exposed to this virus while on the job is entitled to compensation for the dangers they encountered,” AFGE National President Everett Kelley said. “But in order to be part of the lawsuit, each employee must fill out the paperwork online to join the case.”
Who Is Qualified To Join The Case?
Federal Employees are eligible for hazardous duty pay or environmental differential pay if they were exposed to COVID-19 in the course of their work and so long as their position classification does not include exposure to infectious diseases as a condition of employment, AFGE described in a press statement.
Specifically, according to the lawfirm’s website, federal employees are eligible if they meet all five conditions listed below:
a. were a federal employee; and
b. have been exposed to COVID-19 during the performance of your official duties; and
c. the federal employee’s position is eligible for hazardous duty and/or environmental differential pay; and
d. the federal eemployee’s position description does not take into account exposure to infectious diseases like COVID-19; and
e. not been paid hazardous duty and/or environmental differential pay for all of your working time in which you were exposed to COVID-19.
“Federal workers who risked their lives and their families’ lives while performing their jobs absolutely should be compensated for the hazards they faced,” Burakiewicz said. “We encourage all federal employees who had to leave the safety of their homes to go to work during the pandemic to join our lawsuit by registering online today.”
Federal employees wanting to join the case can visit https://www.hazardpaylawsuit.com.
Background on the lawsuit can be found on AFGE’s website here.