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commenters finding that business subsidies have limited or negative economic impact also <br />suggests that such a response may not be reasonably designed to benefit households and other <br />entities impacted by the pandemic. Similarly, planning activities for an economic development or <br />workforce strategy regarding general future economic growth do not provide a program, service, <br />or capital expenditure that responds to negative economic impacts of the pandemic. <br />However, Treasury notes that the final rule includes as enumerated eligible uses many <br />types of assistance that respond to negative economic impacts of the pandemic and may produce <br />economic development benefits. For example, see sections Assistance to Unemployed Workers, <br />Assistance to Small Businesses, and Capital Expenditures. <br />B. PREMIUM PAY <br />Background and Summary of the Interim Final Rule <br />Sections 602(c)(1)(B) and 603(c)(1)(B) of the Social Security Act, as added by the <br />ARPA, provide that SLFRF funds may be used "to respond to workers performing essential <br />work during the COVID-19 public health emergency by providing premium pay to eligible <br />workers of the ...government that are performing such essential work, or by providing grants to <br />eligible employers that have eligible workers who perform essential work." <br />Premium pay is designed to compensate workers that, by virtue of their employment, <br />were forced to take on additional burdens and make great personal sacrifices as a result of the <br />COVID-19 pandemic. Premium pay can be thought of as hazard pay by another name.258 <br />258 See U.S. Department of Labor, Hazard Pay, https://www.dol.gov/general/topic/wages/hazardpay (last visited <br />October 18, 2021). <br />219 <br />