Should all essential workers be given a large, tax free bonus from the government
 

:shrug:

Essential health workers, yes.

Yes.
But no money for that

Essential health,shop and public service workers as defined in those who've had to provide the vital, urgent and essential services during this pandemic.
Yes to them.

However they should be awarded a decent pay rise in recognition of how essential they are proven to be.
most of them were considered low skilled by this government before this crisis hit.

They most definitely should and I would sign any petition to ensure they do.

They should just be paid what they’re worth in the first place

Anyone and everyone who worked through all of this should get something. Health care workers are obviously important and should be highlighted but so are people who work in transport, delivery, retail etc.

A lot of people put their health on the line and they should be acknowledged.

Yes. :smug:

yes xxx

and that includes the supermarket gorls xx

Thank you.

I was still working so I should get a big fat bonus too :D...

Being serious though, I know you mean everyone who was still OUT at work and at risk and not those working from home.

My wife was out at work throughout, so we would still get a Brucey Bonus.

If anything we will get a bonus but it will be heavily taxed and end up with very little.

It's a nice idea though.

Realistically, the most it's going to be taxed at for the vast majority of keyworkers is 20%. In terms of medical staff, it would only be band 8b and above that might have it fall into the 40% bracket.

No one in retail or other key roles is even touching 50k let's be honest.

But

Let's be REALLY realistic - there isn't going to be a bonus.

Yes. But maybes I’m being biased lolz

Some companies are doing bonuses, I think it's Home Bargains that's basically giving it's workers a grand if they worked through the lockdown but that might be wrong, I might be thinking of another company but another is giving it's worker's a week's worth of wages I believe. Small gestures but appreciated. It would be nice if the government could mandate something but if all they can do for NHS staff is clap then everyone else will have to whistle.

I hope you all have your essential workers letter from your employee, the one you were given at the end of March to hand to the police if you were stopped.

Yes

Oh I'd hope some of the private companies that were open throughout would be giving bonuses, I was more thinking of the public sector staff. Its hard to shock me but I'd be genuinely taken aback if the government gave bonuses of any kind to health sector staff.

Yes! :D

...the experiences of the last few months have not been the same for everyone it has to be said...but I don’t know how feasible it would be to give financial reward when we still don’t know what there is to come in the future...as Liam said, people should be paid what their value is and so often they’re not, sadly...

It's a difficult one. For a start I think the definition of essential workers were somewhat loose. Some were genuinely essential workers, others not so much. We don't usually give bonuses to workers that put their lives at risk for the public every day. I'm thinking of emergency services, the armed forces etc. Market forces determine what people are worth in terms of pay and that has always been the case, and that situation won't change

Asda gave their staff who worked throughout a weeks extra pay. Which is nice for them.

All the big supermarkets should be doing that, they made an absolute fortune during lockdown

They should indeed and you are right, they were raking it in both before and during it.

It would be nice if they looked again too at returning the contracts to staff in some supermarkets.
Back to the 25+ hours ones after a few years ago reducing guaranteed hours to only 16 hours a week too.

In recognition of the staffs efforts during this nightmare.