Bristol County Sheriff Thomas Hodgson has committed to paying a bonus to staff at the Bristol County House of Correction during the coronavirus pandemic.

Hodgson wrote in a letter issued April 10 that all staff working inside the secure perimeter of the facility will receive an additional $50 for each eight-hour shift. Those working outside the secure perimeter will be paid an additional $40 per eight-hour shift.

The sheriff also reminded workers at the facility that if they experience any symptoms of coronavirus, they should immediately report to a supervisor and go home to self-quarantine. If symptoms persist, staff are instructed to call their doctors for consultation and must get final approval to return to work.

Hodgson tweeted on April 8 that his staff has faced “increased risks during this crisis” and wanted to properly compensate them.

The jail and its ICE facility have come under recent scrutiny due to the pandemic, with ICE detainees on strike against allegedly unsafe conditions, a federal lawsuit requesting their release, and with one nurse and now two more staffers at the House of Correction testing positive for the virus.