The city has set aside $115 million in federal State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) of 2021 for “hazard pay” to Oahu public employees working during the pandemic. The Honolulu City Council’s Budget Committee expects the eventual payout to be even higher. And so on Tuesday, the committee recommended approval of a resolution urging the city to set aside $5 million more in federal funds left over from ARPA projects for payments.

The total cost of COVID-related “post-employment benefits” won’t be known until negotiations are settled with police and government employee unions, and an agreed-upon formula is costed out.