Doctors, nurses, midwives and other health workers are likely to be paid a $60 allowance for every shift they work that involves caring for patients with COVID-19, but only when hospitals have been at Level 3 escalation for one month.

Negotiations between health unions and the state government are in the final stages, but unions say that many workers will never get to receive the payment.

They are frustrated by the requirement that a hospital must be in a COVID-19 Level 3 escalation for 30 days before the COVID-19 allowance would be paid, and a backdating start date of April 1, instead of a backdate to December 15.

Under the agreement, workers who care directly for patients with COVID-19 in the "red zone" will get paid $60 per shift, and those who work indirectly, such as cleaners and orderlies, will get paid $20 per shift.

The allowance will also be paid to correctional officers who directly and indirectly deal with COVID-19 positive individuals.

Nurses and Midwifery Federation state secretary Emily Shepherd said its members had signed up with disappointment, and only because "government has said this is its final position".

"The majority did agree to accept the offer but that was noting significant disappointment and frustration with the allowance as they felt that it does not recognise the significant challenges that they have been dealing with over the last couple of years, particularly since borders opened on December 15," Ms Shepherd said.

"The reality is that most of our members will never see the payment".

Health and Community Services Union assistant state secretary Lucas Digney said the offer was unfair.

"We still have some real concerns about the quantum of days required to be at Level 3 escalation level before the allowance will be paid. If a period of escalation level 3 went for 28 days, no one would receive any additional allowance for that," he said.

"Also, when the borders opened is when our members certainly faced increased risk and increased flux of health."

Premier Jeremy Rockliff said the government was in final negotiations for an allowance that would be paid when hospitals are experiencing high levels of pandemic-related work.

"An agreement has been reached with unions to pay health employees after 30 consecutive days of their health facility experiencing COVID escalation level 3 or above," he said.

"The Royal Hobart Hospital, Launceston General Hospital and Statewide Mental Health Services have been at this escalation level since 30 April 2022. As such health employees working in these workplaces will receive the allowance.

"Ms Shepherd has accepted and signed the offer, and work is now in place to implement this payment over the next six weeks."

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