Apr 27, 2020 - Politics & Policy

Bloomberg agrees to pay for fired campaign staffers' health care

mike bloomberg

Photo: Toni L. Sandys/The Washington Post via Getty Images

Former campaign staffers of Mike Bloomberg were notified Monday that the cost of their COBRA health insurance will be covered by the campaign through the presidential election, a campaign spokesperson tells Axios.

Why it matters: Bloomberg is facing multiple lawsuits and public scrutiny after he laid off more than 2,000 campaign staffers, despite promises to keep them employed through the November election.

What they're saying:

"The campaign has covered health insurance for former employees since Mike dropped out. Today’s announcement makes it official that given the challenges associated with the pandemic, the campaign will continue to cover health care through November 2020 for former employees who haven't secured other coverage."
— A Bloomberg campaign spokesperson tells Axios

The big picture: Sen. Bernie Sanders' campaign allowed its more than 500 former staffers to keep their health insurance benefits through October amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Go deeper: Bloomberg spent $1 billion on 104-day presidential campaign

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