One of the interesting sidelights of the COVID-19 pandemic has been the gyrations that government officials and some private businesses have taken to reward front-line workers or to persuade vaccine-hesitant employees to get preventive shots.

One of the most dramatic came from the administration of Gov. Tom Wolf, who announced that he will be offering additional paid leave for state workers under the governor’s jurisdiction to continue encouraging employees to get vaccinated.

I am opposed to these and the hundreds of other so-called incentives that governments across the nation have been instituting to try to convince vaccine-hesitant individuals to get protection from COVID-19. I find it an irresponsible use of taxpayers’ funds, and Wolf needs to understand that this money can be best spent elsewhere.

No one is quarreling with the fact that employees in some high-risk positions have been asked to put their health and that of their families on the line, but to single out one group doesn’t strike me as fair or a particularly well-thought-out strategy.

Wolf’s Secretary of Administration Michael Newsome gave the justification for the move. “Each day, millions of people rely on critical programs and services delivered by commonwealth employees,” he said. “As one of the largest employers in Pennsylvania, we want to make sure our workers have the resources they need to be safe and healthy and be an example to other businesses to follow.”

The administration believes that the additional time off will help support employees as the pandemic continues to hang on in Pennsylvania and will serve as an incentive to getting vaccinated and protecting the workforce.

Under the plan, employees can take off five days, or, if they don’t take the time after a certain period, take the equivalent as a paid bonus. Republican State Treasurer Stacy Garrity has estimated this will cost taxpayers more than $100 million.

Garrity blasted Wolf’s decision. She called it a “back-room deal completely outside of the state budget process and away from public scrutiny.” In calling on the governor to drop the plan, Garrity said she is charged with protecting money that belongs to us Pennsylvania taxpayers. “At a time when so many small businesses have been forced to close permanently or continue to struggle as a result of the pandemic, there are far better uses for these funds, Garrity added.

Many Republican legislators criticized the plan. Among them was Zach Mako, R-Northampton and Lehigh, who said state employees are already granted ample leave time through existing policies and union contracts and have already been allowed an additional vacation day to get the vaccine.

“Offering this new bonus in exchange for the vaccine is fiscally irresponsible and unfair to taxpayers who will foot the bill,” Mako said.

Noting that Pennsylvanians have exceeded the governor’s threshold of 70% of adults being vaccinated, Mako said that most people have received the vaccine without compensation.

“Why are taxpayers expected to foot the bill for already compensated state workers?” Mako asked, stressing that Wolf’s plan does not apply to his staff or any employee of the General Assembly.

Another example of rewarding employees for their work during the pandemic came from recent action in the small Schuylkill County municipality of West Penn Township (population 4,300).

The board of supervisors, the township’s governing body, voted to use some of the federally supplied COVID-19 relief funds it received to give bonuses to both full- and part-time employees as a way of thanking them for all of the hard work they have performed during these unprecedented times.

The township voted to spend about $36,000 of the $224,000 in relief funds that it received.

Frequent incentives have popped up all over the country to try to nudge those who have been hesitant in taking the vaccines approved by the Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

For example, employees of Gracedale, the Northampton County home near Nazareth, were offered $500 each if they consented to vaccination. Now, some of these government-operated institutions, along with businesses with 100 or more employees, could soon be under government mandate to have their employees vaccinated in order to stop the spread of COVID, especially its virulent delta variant, or undergo frequent testing to keep their jobs.

Some states have offered huge sums in lotteries. California was offering $1.5 million, Ohio, $1 million, etc.

Private entities also were offering incentives. The Talladega Superspeedway in Alabama was offering those who chose to be tested and/or vaccinated the thrill of driving their car or truck on the 2.66-mile track. Drivers and their riders were able to take two laps behind a pace car at highway speed.

The Connecticut Restaurant Association is partnering with Gov. Ned Lamont and the state of Connecticut for a “drink’s on us” promotion, where participating Connecticut restaurants offer complimentary drinks to vaccinated patrons.

Delaware officials are offering prison inmates five days of good time credits, a free video visit and a snack bag or a special meal.

Illinois gave out 50,000 free tickets to Six Flags amusement park, while Indiana officials gave out a box of Girl Scout Cookies. Earlier this year, New Jersey officials, in partnership with the Brewer’s Guild of New Jersey, had the “Shot and a Beer” promotion for those over 21 who got vaccinated.

Millions of us got our shots without inducements because it was the right thing to do. We didn’t need gimmicks to convince us. We are less than thrilled that our hard-earned tax dollars are going to try to convince those who are vaccine-hesitant to also do the right thing.

By Bruce Frassinelli | tneditor@tnonline.com

The foregoing opinions do not necessarily reflect the views of the Editorial Board or Times News LLC.