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Supplementary Information how a recipient may qualify other non-public sectors as essential <br />critical infrastructure. <br />Essential Work <br />The interim final rule defined "essential work" as work that (1) is not performed while <br />teleworking from a residence and (2) involves either (i) regular, in -person interactions with <br />patients, the public, or coworkers of the individual that is performing the work or (ii) regular <br />physical handling of items that were handled by, or are to be handled by, patients, the public, or <br />coworkers of the individual that is performing the work. Treasury adopted this definition of <br />essential work to ensure that premium pay is targeted to workers that faced or face heightened <br />risks due to the character of their work during a pandemic. <br />Public Comment: Some commenters found the definition unclear and asked Treasury to <br />clarify what constitutes "essential work." Others disagreed with the essential work test <br />altogether, arguing that it forces recipients to distinguish between essential and non -essential <br />employees, which may be difficult to do. Accordingly, these commenters asked Treasury to <br />allow recipients to determine which workers qualify as essential. Treasury also received several <br />requests that specific occupations be explicitly deemed essential, including all public employees, <br />veterinarians, election administrators, detention staff and sheriff's deputies, and employees of <br />utilities, such as electric power, natural gas, steam supply, water supply, and sewage removal. <br />Several commenters requested that Treasury not distinguish between remote and in - <br />person work or amend the standard so that employees providing essential services would still be <br />eligible even if they worked remotely. Finally, a few commenters requested clarification as to the <br />225 <br />