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Articles:
- SEIU 503 In-Home Care Providers Vote to Ratify New Contract!
- Sublocal Elections Happening Soon
- Carewell Open Enrollment
- Provider Holiday Pay – What to Know
- Holidays Can Be Hard: Resources for Emotional and Mental Health
SEIU 503 In-Home Care Providers Vote to Ratify New Contract!
Members have voted, ballots have been counted, and we’re thrilled to share that our new contract was ratified. The contract contains some big victories for Homecare and Personal Support workers!
It’s the culmination of two years of hard work: member input in bargaining surveys, taking action during the legislative and bargaining process to speak out to the Department of Health Services and other decision makers, and many long days of negotiating by our member-elected bargaining team over the last few months.
To recap the contract, here are some highlights:
- $1.73 raise in January of 2024 for ALL workers
- Raising the hours cap, providing an opportunity for overtime hours and pay
- A new pay scale that will reward workers who stay on the job
- A pay increase of $.50 an hour in January of 2025
- Two additional paid holidays for caregivers who work Labor Day and Memorial Day
- And more!
“This is one of the best contracts we have won since homecare workers organized in Oregon,” said bargaining team co-chair Patty Falkenstein. “All of the time spent meeting with management, the ups and downs and frustrations – while exhausting – was well worth the results.”
“We won on issues we believe in—better pay, dignity, and respect for our profession,” said bargaining team co-chair Cristal DeJarnac.
Click here to read all about our new contract. https://seiu503.org/homecare-and-personal-support-bargaining-2023/
Sublocal Elections Happening Soon
Sublocal elections will take place during the first four months of 2024.
SEIU 503 is a democratic, member-run union of 70,000 people who work as care providers or in public service jobs around the state. In 2024, we will elect more than 700 leaders to a variety of positions, such as the Board of Directors, sublocal leaders, and statewide officers. The people in these roles will shape the work of our Union over the next two years as we bargain strong contracts, represent workers, and grow.
Running for office and voting in union elections is the best way that you can shape the course of our Union. Your voice matters!
Detailed information about elected positions, election timelines and the nomination process can be found online at seiu503.org/WeAre503.
Carewell 503 Benefits and 2024 Marketplace Open Enrollment
Join your fellow in-home care providers to learn more about Carewell 503 Benefits and 2024 Marketplace Open Enrollment. Happening in select locations across Oregon, now through January 2024. Sign up for an event near you!
- Learn about 2024 Marketplace Open Enrollment and how to enroll in or renew an approved qualified health plan
- Learn about the wide range of benefits for eligible care providers such as Paid Time Off, Dental, Vision, Hearing, Healthcare Cost Assistance, and Employee Assistance Program
- Get support with Marketplace Open Enrollment paperwork
- Learn about and sign up for MyCarewell503, the new online benefits management tool
- Learn about and sign up for Carina, the new online tool to find care work
- Or come by if you have any questions!
- If you need phone interpretation services, please let Carewell SEIU 503 know a week before the event you will be attending.
If you can’t make it to any of the in-person education events, Carewell also offers online education events. Sign up at CarewellSEIU503.org
Holidays Can Be Hard: Resources for Emotional and Mental Health
For many people, the holiday season can be difficult for all sorts of reasons. As caregivers, we often don’t treat ourselves with the same loving care that we provide our families and consumers.
This time of year, it’s especially challenging when juggling caregiving, work, grief over past losses, and holiday prep.
To help support you in managing any issues that may come up, Carewell SEIU 503 provides the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) Benefit to support eligible workers with mental health services and crisis counseling. This program offers 24-hour crisis help, in-person and online counseling sessions and much more. Click here to learn more. https://www.carewellseiu503.org/benefits/employee-assistance-program/
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Provider Holiday Pay – What to Know
Holiday pay for providers was negotiated during the 2021-2023 Collective Bargaining Agreement between SEIU 503 and the State. THAT’S the power of workers standing together in UNION!
If you work on Thanksgiving Day or Christmas Day, you will be paid your normal pay rate at time-and-a-half for the first eight hours you work. Time worked beyond eight hours will be paid at your normal wage rate. Enter the time you work in eXPRS or PTC as normal. There is nothing else you need to do to be paid for working on the holiday.
For the answers to some common questions about holiday pay, visit our website. I WILL LINK TO OUR WEB PAGE WITH THIS INFO:
Here are the answers to some common questions:
Q: Do I claim my time differently when I work on a paid holiday?
A: No. You enter your time like you usually do when you work. You do not have to do anything differently.
Q: When do I get paid for working on a paid holiday?
A: You are paid time and a half when you work on a paid holiday. You will receive straight time on your regular paycheck. The .5 portion will be paid on the same schedule as overtime, which is approximately two weeks after the regular pay schedule.
Q: Do I get time and a half for every hour I work on a paid holiday?
A: You will receive time and a half for the first 8 hours you work that day. Time worked beyond eight hours will be paid at your normal wage rate.
Q: What if I work for more than one person on a paid holiday?
A: You will be paid time and a half for the first 8 hours you work on a paid holiday, regardless of the number of individuals for whom you work that day.
Q: Why won’t I get paid time and a half for working on a paid holiday on my regular paycheck?
A: Regular time follows the pay schedule. The .5 payment follows the overtime payment schedule, which is approximately two weeks after the regular pay schedule.
If you have further questions, please call the SEIU 503 Member Assistance Center (MAC) at (844) 503-7348.