Gov. Tom Wolf is offering $50 million to “essential” employees during the COVID pandemic through grant-funded hazard pay.

“These Pennsylvanians have kept our economy going, have kept food on our tables and they've kept us safe,” Wolf said in a news conference Thursday. “They deserve our gratitude.”

Department of Community and Economic Development Deputy Secretary Carol Kilko joined Wolf in announcing the allocation of federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act funding to the new COVID-19 Hazard Pay Grant Program.

“We encourage all eligible employers to please apply for this grant, as it serves to yet be another tool in the toolbox to thank our front-line workers,” Kilko said.

Eligible employers must apply for the grant by July 31. The application became available Thursday on the DCED's website.

If awarded the grant, employers would be able to pay employees $3 per hour more over a 10-week period, which amounts to about $1,200 more for the employee over that period.

The funding would be limited to employees who make a base pay rate, that which they earn during a 40-hour workweek, of $20 per hour or less.

“It's a very short timeframe, but we need to get this money on the street as quickly as we possibly can,” Kilko said.

This is an excerpt from a story that will appear in Friday's Butler Eagle.The following numbers on the coronavirus pandemic were compiled from regular news releases from the state Department of Health.Thursday's COVID-19 statistics:

Confirmed cases: 412Probable cases: 44Negative tests: 9,349Deaths: 13

New cases: 781Total cases: 98,446New deaths: 16Total deaths: 6,973Recovered: 76 percent

Allegheny: 5,558 confirmed cases; 82,675 negative; and 201 deathsArmstrong: 96 confirmed; 2,912 negative; and 6 deathsBeaver: 866 confirmed; 8,436 negative; and 80 deathsClarion: 64 confirmed; 1,460 negative; and 2 deathsLawrence: 184 confirmed; 3,845 negative; and 9 deathsMercer: 182 confirmed; 5,924 negative; and 6 deathsVenango: 33 confirmed and 2,051 negativeWestmoreland: 1,057 confirmed; 23,469 negative; and 40 deaths.