Digest: SHARE Job Fair, 2022 Dues Increase, Members Improving their Work, and More

SHARE Friends & Family Job Fair — with Referral Bonus Opportunities for You!

You can print copies of this flyer to hand out to friends and family. Or download it and forward it via email. The digital version links to hundreds of open positions!

One way that SHARE is working with UMass Memorial to address staffing issues is through the first ever SHARE Friends & Family Job Fair. You can help others get a job doing meaningful work with good benefits and a big hiring bonus! Set up them up to meet with UMass Memorial recruiters and hiring managers, or to get more information about what jobs they might be qualified for. And help yourself, too, with a referral bonus ($500-$5,000) for any successful hire you bring in! Learn more on the SHARE website.

SHARE Members Participate in Effort to Improve Patient Experience on the Floors

Ten SHARE members (primarily PCAs and unit secretaries) recently took part in a half day retreat to learn about and improve the experience of our patients on the Med Center’s inpatient floors. SHARE members and other UMMMC caregivers) reviewed data, read patient comments, and told stories from their own experience about what works and what doesn’t. They then brainstormed and prioritized root causes that can make it hard to meet patient needs, and then brainstormed and selected interventions that might make it easier meet these needs despite the staffing and volume challenges we face. Read more . . .

2022 Dues Rates Announced

AFSCME, SHARE’s parent union, has announced dues rates increases for the upcoming year. The 2022 regular weekly dues rate for SHARE members will be $9.84. That is an increase of twenty-four cents per paycheck, or slightly more than ½ cent per hour. For members working 20 hours/week, the 2022 weekly rate will be $7.37. Assuming that the Kronos cyberattack doesn’t affect this, the new rates should be reflected in the January 6 paycheck. Learn more about how dues are calculated, what they pay for, and how they benefit you.

News that Matters to SHARE Members

In case you missed them, here are some news stories we think you should know about, including . . .

  • Governor Baker recently vetoed the part of the COVID Relief Spending Bill that would spend $460 million dollars on essential workers who worked in-person throughout COVID. The bill also provides money for mental health and community hospitals. The politics may still provide for some of that money to reach SHARE members.

  • The potential Mass General Brigham expansion to central Massachusetts could have big implications for SHARE members and our communities. We expect their independent cost analysis any day. Meanwhile, a bill that “closes a key loophole in the existing review process” regarding hospital expansion proposals moves forward after passing in the House.

Happy Holidays

Thank you for sticking together to weather a tough year. As we round out 2021, things may not be where we expected them to be, but SHARE members have done an awful lot to be proud of. Thank you.

Tell Your Friends & Family about the SHARE Job Fair!

1/18/22 update — due to the current COVID surge, please note these changes to the location and time of the Job Fair

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To help address the need for better staffing levels in many of our hospital’s departments, SHARE is partnering with UMass Memorial to recruit new employees at a special SHARE Union Friends & Family Job Fair on January 27, 2002.

Find Help, Help yourself

Help get word out and you can earn a referral bonus ($500-$5000) for every external hire that you bring in. Make sure to use the hospital’s referral system (described below) to claim your bonus. To help, below we’ve provided a link of the Job Fair flyer to print and give out. Or, you can forward digital copies through email which links directly to all of the current open positions at UMass Memorial.

To be eligible for a referral bonus, a current caregiver must refer an external candidate to the talent acquisition team for a budgeted role, per diem positions are not included in this program. All reference materials and job aides can be found on the Hub. Search for Caregiver Referral Program.


Caregivers have three options to refer candidates to ensure they are listed as the referral source:

  • Complete the paper Referral Form and submit to your current manager. The manager will email the talent acquisition team at talentacquisition@umassmemorial.org. You can find this form on the Hub, by searching Referral Form.

  • Refer a Friend (when you have a specific person and a specific open position in mind). You can find detailed instructions on the Hub, by searching Caregiver Referral Program

  • Send a Jobvite (send a link so that your referral can apply or share the opening through social media on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter) You can find detailed instructions on the Hub, by searching Caregiver Referral Program.

Thank you for helping staff-up our hospital, and good luck!

News Items that Matter to SHARE Members

These days, the broadcasts and news feeds are full of information that matter to SHARE. In case you missed them, here are a few particular things that we are keeping our eye on: 

Bonuses for Essential Workers

Governor Baker recently vetoed the part of the COVID Relief Spending Bill that would spend $460 million dollars on essential workers who worked in-person throughout COVID. It appears that Baker does want to deliver the money to essential workers, but he didn’t approve of the “red tape” the legislature had attached to the process. Early January should show us whether the legislature will over-ride Baker’s veto, and who will decide how this money is distributed. (Thank you, SHARE members who voiced your support for hazard pay to your legislators! Nice work!) Read more in the Boston Globe.

Money for Mental Health, Community Hospitals

The COVID Relief Spending Bill also dedicates $260 million for financially stressed hospitals, and $400 million for addiction treatment and related behavioral health services. UMass Memorial serves a large share of Medicaid patients, and increasing the number of Psych beds anywhere in the state could help with the logjam of patients in our ERs and Psych units. We will stay attentive to see how much of this money comes to our hospitals to benefit patients and SHARE members.  

News about the MGB Expansion

Rumor has it that the Mass General’s Independent Cost Analysis was coming out last week. Will it come out this week? We shall see. SHARE members have a big stake in the outcome of MGB’s plans – read more about it here. In addition, the bill that would protect community hospitals by giving the Massachusetts legislature a say about hospital expansions like this MGB proposal passed the House and is moving forward. Thanks to the SHARE members who let their voices be heard to their state reps and senators!   

  

2022 Dues Rates Announced

AFSCME, SHARE’s parent union, has announced dues rates increases for the upcoming year. The 2022 regular weekly dues rate for SHARE members will be $9.84. That is an increase of twenty-four cents per paycheck, or slightly more than ½ cent per hour. For members working 20 hours/week, the 2022 weekly rate will be $7.37. Assuming that the Kronos cyberattack doesn’t affect this, the new rates should be reflected in the January 6 paycheck.

WHY SHOULD I PAY DUES?

Dues are an investment that SHARE members make in themselves and their coworkers. Without a union, employees have very little leverage to make change, or even to hold onto what they have.

SHARE members want respect for the work that they do, fair treatment, opportunities for advancement, and good raises so that they can take care of themselves and their families. SHARE gives employees a voice in various ways:

  • In contract negotiations, we have a voice in our pay, benefits and work policies.

  • In union meetings and individual conversations, we have a voice in the direction and priorities of the union

  • Through the problem-solving process, we have a voice when individual problems/conflicts come up at work

  • In union elections, we have a voice in who our representatives will be

  • Through committees, Unit Based Teams, and ad-hoc negotiations, we have a voice in issues that face groups of SHARE members

When it comes down to dollars and cents, dues pay for themselves. SHARE has consistently negotiated raises each year that our union has existed, over 22 years. Those increases have resulted in notably better pay rates than non-union counterparts. Among other things, our hospital also continues to contribute to the Defined Benefit Pension plan of all SHARE members, as well as continuing to pay 85% of Health Insurance costs.

Working together through the union, SHARE members can continue to make progress in all these areas. And dues support the staff who support this work.

HOW ARE DUES CALCULATED?

Any annual increase is calculated by the AFSCME International office based on the average percent increase of AFSCME members’ pay rates across the country in the previous year.

WHERE DO MY DUES GO?

The short answer is that dues mostly pays for SHARE staff.

The longer answer is that SHARE members at UMass Memorial pool their dues money with members of three other unions locals: SHARE at UMass Medical School, HUCTW at Harvard University, and USW at Cambridge Health Alliance. The four union locals together are called the New England Organizing Project (NEOP). All their dues together pay for the union staff for all the locals, union offices, phones and utilities, mailings, etc. About 75% of the budget is for staff.

The staff spend their time gathering information and opinions from members, sharing information with members, developing and supporting SHARE Reps, helping members with questions or problems, negotiating contracts, organizing events, researching issues, writing blog posts, etc., all on behalf of SHARE members.

MORE INFORMATION

If you would like to know more, please talk to a SHARE Rep, email share.comment@theshareunion.org, or call 508-929-4020. You can also learn more about what our union does, and the benefits of union membership, by exploring www.sharehospitalunion.org.

What the Payroll Cyber-Attack Means for SHARE Members

As you have probably heard, the hospital’s timekeeping system is down because Kronos has been hit by a large-scale ransomware attack. The hospital temporarily requires all employees to submit their time manually.  

This week, UMass Memorial is paying everyone the same amount they got paid last week. That’s going to be wrong for some people. Please be mindful about your personal spending, particularly if you suspect that the hospital has overpaid you. If you are overpaid, you’re going to have to return the extra.

  • The hospital directs that if you worked different shifts the week of 11/28/21 – 12/4/21 than you did the week of 12/5/21 – 12/11/21 or you believe your pay is wrong, then you should send an email to KronosIncident@umassmemorial.org and include:

    • Your name

    • Your employee ID

    • Your manager’s name

    • A short description of the problem

  • If you are paid too much, you will have to return the extra.

  • If you are paid too little, the hospital will fix it.

The Boston Globe reports that the attack has affected thousands of organizations, including Target, Staples, Stop & Shop, Whole Foods, the city of Springfield, and the MBTA. “The company [Kronos] said that the outage could last several weeks,” the article states.  

Continuing information will come from UMass Memorial. Here’s a copy of their latest email, which includes more details and answers to some frequently asked questions: 

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From: Robin Sodano, Chief Information Officer and Brian Huggins, Senior Vice President, Finance & Corporate Controller 

To: Medical Center Caregivers 

Date: December 14, 2021 

Subject: Update 3- URGENT Payroll & Time Tracking Information  
  

Kronos, our hours tracking and scheduling software vendor, suffered a cyberattack this past weekend, which left UMass Memorial temporarily unable to access and process payroll normally for the foreseeable future. The following important updates apply to all employees, both exempt/salaried and non-exempt/hourly: 

  • We are planning to issue payroll, as scheduled, on Thursday.  

  • However, because we cannot access Kronos data, we need to use hours that were reported for the week of 11/28/21 – 12/4/21 for this week’s payroll. Once payroll is issued, we will work to rectify any inaccuracies that may exist. 

  • While most employees will receive accurate pay, we do anticipate that there will be some unavoidable inaccuracies.  

  • Any employee who worked different shifts the week of 11/28/21 – 12/4/21 than they did the week of 12/5/21 – 12/11/21 or does not receive accurate pay this Thursday is asked to email KronosIncident@umassmemorial.org with their name, employee ID, manager and short description of the discrepancy.   

Because Kronos expects that this outage to last for several weeks, we are working to create an easier time tracking process. Until further notice, however, please continue to  

  • Print copies of the attached time tracking form (now in Word format.) 

  • Accurately record your time and turn in the form at the end of each shift to your supervisor (or in a location designated by your supervisor.)  

  • Managers will collect these timesheets and store in a safe place until further direction is provided.  

  • All employees must continue to swipe in/out of Kronos as normal in addition to filling out the manual timecards.  

We have also compiled an FAQ below to better address your concerns. If you have questions or concerns that are not addressed, please do not hesitate to email KronosIncident@umassmemorial.org or leave a voicemail on our recorded line (#508-334-1500) and someone will get back to you as soon as possible.  Please know that we are doing everything we can to ensure that all caregivers receive accurate pay and are committed to working with you to ensure that this inconvenience is mitigated over the coming weeks.  

  

Kronos/Payroll FAQ 

How will I get paid?  
A.) Despite Kronos being offline, we are still going to process payroll on Thursday, December 16th. However, to issue payroll this week we will rely on hours that were reported for the week of 11/28/21 – 12/4/21. This means that if you worked the exact same number of hours the week of 11/28/21-12/4/21 as you did the week of 12/5/21-12/11/21, you should expect to receive the same paycheck this week as you did last week.   

  

What if someone worked different hours last week than they did the week before? 
A.) We are going to work with impacted employees to ensure we accurately pay our caregivers.  If an employee’s hours last week (12/5/21 – 12/11/21) were different than the week of 11/28/21 – 12/4/21, your pay may be impacted. If this is the case, UMass Memorial has established an email box (KronosIncident@umassmemorial.org) and recorded line (# 508-334-1500) to capture this information and to begin the process of making corrections. Please include your name, employee ID, manager name and brief description of your situation.  

  

Can managers report this information on behalf of employees? 
A.) Yes, managers can report payroll issues to the email box or phone number on behalf of their employees. For each employee, please include the employee’s name, ID, manager name and brief description of their situation. 

  

When will payroll inaccuracies be remedied?  
A.) We recognize the importance of this issue to our caregivers and are going to work to remediate discrepancies as soon as we can.  It is imperative that employees alert UMass Memorial discrepancies – providing their name, employee ID, manager name, and brief description of the situation – as soon as they are identified so we can work with managers to validate correct amounts owed.  

  

I can’t afford to not receive a full paycheck, especially this time of year. What will you do to help? 
A.) We are doing everything possible to ensure that you and other affected employees receive an accurate and timely paycheck each week despite the sudden and unexpected loss of our payroll software.  It is critical that you assist us in this process by completing your timesheet accurately, reviewing your timesheet with your supervisor if necessary, and reporting any potential discrepancy you may find in your paycheck as soon as possible, as is explained above. 

  

What if a check I wrote bounces because I did not receive the correct amount of pay? 
A.) UMass Memorial will cover the fees incurred with the bounced check as a result of this inconvenience. We will provide more details on this at a later time. 

  

What do I do if my paid time off bank is inaccurate? 
A) We will rectify any paid time off inaccuracies when the system is operational and we have ensured everyone received the correct pay. We will have further updates on this in subsequent communications.  

  

Do I have to keep swiping in and using the manual timecard?  
A.) Yes, it may be several weeks before we can return to normal, but to expedite a speedy return to normal operations when it is possible, we need everyone to continue swiping in/out and filling out paper timecards.  Unfortunately, in the near term, UMass Memorial is reliant on its vendor to resolve this situation before normal payroll operations can resume.  

  

If this was a cyber-attack, was any personal information compromised?  
A.) We do not believe that there are any privacy risks to our employees at this time because very little personal information was stored within Kronos. The UMass Memorial Privacy Department is aware of this situation, and Kronos is working with legal authorities to conduct a thorough investigation into how the attack took place and who may be responsible.  If the Privacy Department determines that personal information was breached, you will be notified.  

  

How do managers sign off on last week’s payroll?  
A.) No one can access Kronos, so it is impossible to access the system to sign off on payroll. There is nothing for managers to do at this time.  

  

Can managers view last week’s payroll to ensure accuracy? 
A.) No. We cannot access any data in Kronos right now. That’s why we are using the hours from the week of 11/28/21 – 12/4/12.  

  

Do providers, APPs, and other exempt employees need to fill out paper timecards? 
A.) Yes. All employees must fill out paper timecards. 

  

Do staff need to submit paper timecards for last week?  
A: If staff could not successfully swipe out on Saturday night/Sunday morning, they need to do a paper timecard for that shift. Otherwise, all other staff do not need to do a paper timecard for last week.  

  

I need to make adjustments to last week’s payroll.  
A: Adjustments cannot be made as we do not have access to any data within Kronos. This will be done retroactively when the system is operational.   

  

I have a question about scheduling. 
A: All scheduling questions should be sent to KronosSchedulingAdmin@umassmemorial.org

How should travelers submit their time? 
A: They should use our paper timecards right now until directed otherwise. 

What about employees who were on vacation last week? 
A: If employees did not work their normal hours last week, please ask them to email KronosIncident@umassmemorial.org or call 508-334-1500 to let us know when they did work. We will then confirm that information with their manager. Managers can also submit this information behalf of employees. 

Can we use an email equivalent to the PDF form for our remote workers? 
A: Yes, attached is a word document version that can be completed electronically.  

What do managers do with the timecards? 
A: Hold on to them until further instruction is provided. 

 

 

12/21/21 update: The latest directive from the hospital for dealing with pay issue states “if there is a discrepancy in your pay, please either:

  1. Fill out the Kronos Incident Help Desk Form. You do not need to be logged in to the UMass Memorial network to access this. Using this form will enable us to respond more quickly to your issue; or

  2. If you can’t access the form, you can still email kronosincident@umassmemorial.org or call 508-334-1500. In both cases, you must leave your full name, employee ID number, manager’s name and an explanation of your pay discrepancy.”

Share Members Participate in Effort to Improve Patient Experience on the Floors

Pictured from left to right are Betsy (patient experience), Jacqueline (Unit Secretary), Sharon (PCA), Janice (unit secretary), Will (partnership office), Delia (Unit Secretary), Kona Enders (PCA and new SHARE organizer), Harriet (PCA), Deb (SHARE organizer) and William (PCA)

On December 7th, ten SHARE members (primarily PCAs and unit secretaries) took part in a half day retreat to learn about and improve the experience of our patients on the Med Center’s inpatient floors.  Our patients and their families have reported through their HCAHPS surveys that often despite providing them with care that is great in many ways, we disappoint them in three particular areas: responsiveness to call lights and toileting needs, quiet at night, and communicating with them about potential side effects of their medications.  At the event, SHARE members (along with a few dozen other UMMMC caregivers) divided up into three teams to review the data, read patient comments, tell stories from their own experience of what works and what doesn’t.  They then brainstormed and prioritized root causes that can make it hard to meet these patient needs, and then brainstormed and selected interventions that might make it easier meet these needs despite the staffing and volume challenges we face.

SHARE member Kona Enders says the retreat included important discussion about things that need to be done. “When we put improvements in process, there needs to be follow up,” she said. “Bedside rounding, equipment organization, those things need to be consistent and sustained.”

“It was a great event,” adds SHARE Organizer Deb Engvall. “It’s always a good thing to get workers together with people from different areas and levels, brainstorming ideas that effect their daily work and coming up with solutions that could impact patient-satisfaction and employee-satisfaction. The patients’ frustrations are frustrations for the workers too. It’s a win-win. And fun!”

On December 13th leaders from the Patient Experience team will report out to Dr Gustafson on the plans our members helped to craft, and later this Winter the Med Center will begin to implement those plans.

 

Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving! SHARE would like to wish you a very happy time. We’re grateful for your participation in our union and for all the many ways you work to nurture our community. We’re thankful for and inspired by the ways that you’ve met the challenges we’ve seen in recent months, and by how you continue to make sure patients are well cared for, even on this holiday. We hope you have a rejuvenating weekend, filled with warmth and good food and family.

Sincerely,

the SHARE organizing staff

UMass Memorial Highlights New Volunteer Opportunities

Please note this new batch of volunteering opportunities as described by UMass Memorial’s Anchor Mission Program

Note that participants are able to get rewards from the hospital for volunteering, including up to 250 MyHealthMatters points

anchor mission service opportunities

"Everybody can be great. Because anybody can serve. You don’t have to have a college degree to serve. You don’t have to make your subject and your verb agree to serve. You don’t have to know the second theory of thermodynamics in physics to serve. You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love.”
~ Martin Luther King, Jr.

 

We know UMass Memorial Health is full of caregivers with hearts full of grace.  Just check out the UMatter platform to see some of the volunteer awards we send out weekly.

The holiday season is a wonderful time to spend with family and friends. It is also a great time to reflect and think about those who are less fortunate. Any of the service opportunities listed here will help improve the health of our patients outside the walls of our hospitals and doctor offices.  Bonus: They also are guaranteed to produce joy for the caregivers who volunteer.

Do you have more ideas of where caregivers can find service opportunities? Go to Innovation Station, enter your idea, align it to “Community” strategic goal, and/or escalate it to the Anchor Mission Team.

Service Opportunities:

Worcester Adult Learning Center
The Worcester Adult Learning Center (WALC) is looking for workforce members to hold mock-interviews with its students to advise them on the career related fundamentals of the interview process and help navigate them through the hiring process. The first session of interviews will be on Thursday, December 9th, 9:30-12pm for day students. Approximately 40 students will be able participate in the interviews. There are also students on Tuesday and Thursday nights, 5:30-8:00 pm and WALC can coordinate another session for the evening students as well. If interested, please email ummhvolunteerism@umassmemorial.org.

United Way of Central Massachusetts
The United Way of Central Massachusetts 2021 Holiday Wish List includes volunteer opportunities and donation drive opportunities.

“VaxAbilities” Disability-Friendly COVID-19 Vaccine Events
The goal of these events is to support people with sensory and/or other accommodation needs in Massachusetts to have the most positive and comfortable vaccination experience possible. This will be accomplished by bringing in clinicians with sensory training to partner with vaccinating clinicians, physical tools to assist with numbing and distraction, strategies for positioning and distraction, and the assistance of volunteers to help with logistics and engagement. Most events will offer vaccines to both children and adults. Organizers are seeking:

1.   Sensory-trained clinicians who will partner with vaccine-administrating clinicians to understand and use strategies to support the sensory needs and accommodations children or adults may have through the vaccination process (paid or volunteer)

2.   Pediatricians on site to answer parent and child questions about the COVID19 vaccine (paid or volunteer)

3.   Volunteers that can help direct visitors, help engage children as they wait for vaccines, hand out distractor items/toys, assist with vaccine station cleaning and collect survey responses, etc.  Sign up here.

For both clinicians and volunteers, assignments will be confirmed after you complete the information tool in link. More information is available at www.VaxAbilities.com.
 
Abby’s House
They provide safe, affordable housing for woman and children, they have 72 single room supportive housing units and 7 2-bedroom units for woman and children in 3 locations in Worcester. They are currently at capacity and have a waiting list for new tenants. They have a wish list on their website Donation drop offs must be coordinated with their Volunteer Coordinator.

St. John’s Pantry/Food for the Poor
Donations for the food pantry are always welcome. There is also a list on their website of non-food items that are always needed. Groups of volunteers must be organized through the Director. Small groups can volunteer to feed the homeless for a morning or evening.

Net of Compassion
Volunteers can volunteer at Hotel Grace, Grace Closet, Grace Pantry, Meals on Main Street & Joshua’s Showers. These can all be found on their volunteering page. They always welcome food, clothes and other non-food donations for Hotel Grace, Grace Closet & Grace Pantry. They have a wish list on their website of all items that are needed.

Interested in signing up for a volunteering event?

Check out our ongoing opportunities on the Hub. This list is updated monthly. Review the complete list.

Would you like us to help you set up a volunteering opportunity?

We’d be happy to help you, or your department set up a volunteering activity! Email us and let us know how we can help.

Remember to Spread the Word!

Help us spread the word and remember to bring up Anchor Mission at your next huddle! New volunteers can learn more and register here.

This Week: Managing Holiday Stress and Protecting Community Hospitals

Ask Your Legislator to Protect Community Hospitals

State House to Vote Today! Thank you to everyone who send a letter to their state legislators about the Mass General Brigham expansion. We have just learned that there is a vote TODAY about a new law that would protect community hospitals by making sure that in the future proposals like MGB’s get closer scrutiny. The Coalition to Protect Community Care is asking us to send a quick note to our State Rep – again, it’s totally quick and easy to do. Learn more. To contact your legislators, just click here:

Managing Stress During the Holiday Season

SHARE recently received the following information from UMass Memorial. We hope it can help make this holiday season a little bit happier. The event is free and open to all UMass Memorial employees . . .

HOLIDAY STRESS STARTING TO CREEP IN?

Join us this Friday, noon to 1 pm, for a live webinar hosted by our Optum EAP that will help us identify the biggest causes of holiday stress, find coping strategies that promote well-being, practice setting realistic expectations, and plan to approach the holidays differently this year. Read the full post.

Make Self-Care count

There’s Still Time to Earn 2021 myHealth Matters Incentives! Benefits-eligible employees: With the myHealth Matters portal closing December 7, time’s running out to earn your next reward level. Don’t forget to claim points for any activities you completed this year. Remember, 3,000 points in the portal earns you a $300 Health Reimbursement Account deposit, so start logging those activities today! Learn more.

Send a Quick Message to Protect Community Hospitals

State House to Vote Today! Thank you to everyone who send a letter to their state legislators about the Mass General Brigham expansion. We have just learned that there is a vote TODAY about a new law that would protect community hospitals by making sure that in the future proposals like MGB’s get closer scrutiny. The Coalition to Protect Community Care is asking us to send a quick note to our State Rep – again, it’s totally quick and easy to do. Just click here:

Here are a couple of articles about it:

https://www.patriotledger.com/story/news/2021/11/07/rep-mariano-file-bill-protect-community-hospitals/6331341001/

https://www.wgbh.org/news/politics/2021/11/04/speaker-mariano-wants-to-save-local-hospitals-stronger-oversight-over-health-care-chains-expansion-is-how-he-wants-to-do-it

 

 

Here’s what the letter says that you would be sending to your State Rep:

As the state seeks to enhance the market review process for healthcare provider expansions, I would like to express my support of H.4253 and respectfully ask that you vote in favor of passing the bill, ensuring that any legislation holds Mass General Brigham (MGB) and its expansion plans accountable.

With healthcare costs continuing to skyrocket each year, I applaud the Speaker and House leadership’s efforts to improve and strengthen the regulatory process for reviewing provider expansions through determination of need. The root cause for this legislation – MGB’s proposal to build three new ambulatory care centers in Woburn, Westwood, and Westborough – has raised serious concerns about how expansions without sufficient need can exacerbate healthcare costs, worsen health inequities, and threaten community providers.

H.4253 would establish a thorough, objective regulatory framework that would protect both patients and community healthcare providers from expansion proposals like MGB’s that would have detrimental impacts on the healthcare landscape and the Commonwealth.

Please consider voting to pass H.4253 to help contain healthcare costs; protect high-quality, affordable healthcare providers; keep low-cost community hospitals sustainable; and preserve access to critical safety net services.

Care for the Caregiver Event: Managing Stress During the Holiday Season

SHARE recently received the following information about this session designed to help make this holiday season a little bit happier. The event is free and open to all UMass Memorial employees . . .

Holiday Stress Starting to Creep In?

Join us this Friday, noon to 1 pm, for a live webinar hosted by our Optum EAP that will help us identify the biggest causes of holiday stress, find coping strategies that promote well-being, practice setting realistic expectations, and plan to approach the holidays differently this year. Don’t miss it!

Note that this session will be recorded for viewing afterward as well.  Once we receive the recording, it’ll be added to the list of webinar recordings on the Caring for our Caregivers page on the Hub.

Veterans Day & Member Spotlight: Sargeant Natalia Bessette

Happy Veterans Day! SHARE honors our many members who have served in the US Armed Forces. We are grateful to those of you who made such an important commitment to our country. We hope you will enjoy this day on which Americans celebrate and serve you. And we thank you for helping to keep our hospital going strong . . . especially if you are working to keep patients well on this holiday.

SHARE also encourages veterans to take advantage of the UMass Memorial Veterans Employee Resource Group (ERG). In case you missed it, hospital leaders sent a message earlier today describing that the ERG “is a resource available to all our veteran caregivers or family members of veterans. The Veterans ERG is a systemwide resource with the goal of supporting and recognizing veterans in our workplace and in the community. If you would like to get involved or have questions about the Veterans ERG, please contact the co-chairs, Sherri Gentile at sherri.gentile@umassmemorial.org or Adriana Dietlin at adriana.dietlin@umassmemorial.org.”

Below, we recognize Natalia Bessette, a Combat Medic who served with the Massachusetts Army National Guard who currently works as Financial Clearance Specialist in our hospital. Thank you, Natalia!

SGT Natalia Bessette (Steidle)

Combat Medic

Massachusetts Army National Guard

Served 2009-2021

Operation Enduring Freedom, Afghanistan 2012-2013

The day Natalia surprised her family by returning home from Afghanistan.

I enlisted in the MARNG with the want to provide medical care to soldiers. At the time, I wasn't sure just what the was going to involve but made a promise to myself that I would only accept an enlistment as Health Care Specialist aka Combat Medic. During my 12 years with the MARNG, I was able to do just that, as the sole medical provider for a platoon of 30+ soldiers of the 181 Engineer Company (Vertical) Afghanistan , a Treatment Team Leader in the 182 Infantry Regiment to rounding out my career with the Massachusetts Medical Command, aiding in the Medical Readiness of Massachusetts National Guard soldiers. After 12 years, I chose to separate from the Military with an abundance of knowledge and continue my career in the medical field with UMass Memorial.

Don't Forget! Four Important Reminders for SHARE Members

Hi, SHARE members. Please take note:

  • Open Enrollment Ends Friday! If you wish to make changes to your plan selections for 2022, you have until 11:59 pm Friday, November 12 to log onto MyBenefits and make these changes. If you’re not making changes, you don’t need to re-enroll unless you wish to elect a Flexible Spending Account in 2022. Questions? Email or call the Benefits Contact Center at 508-334-8511 (select option 6).

  • Let your local legislators know that you stand with SHARE and UMass Memorial against the MGB expansion plan. It’s easy, completely automated, and only takes a minute. Click here to send your message now.

  • This Veterans Day, we would like to honor you and any of your family members who have served . If you have photographs of yourselves in uniform that you would be willing to share on our website, please email your pictures to SHARE asap.

  • With the recent pay raise, this may be a good time to initiate or increase your 401K deduction. The hospital provides a matching contribution, which makes your money go even further. Consider showing some love to your future self: alongside the Defined Benefit Pension that all SHARE members automatically accrue, the 401k can be an important part of your retirement strategy. Learn more from the SHARE blog archive.

Blog Digest: Honoring Veterans & Opposing MGB Expansion

Keep the Pressure on to Stop MGB Expansion

While we await completion of the Mass General Brigham cost-analysis (the next step in the Department of Public Health’s decision to approve expansion), the Coalition to Protect Community Care has asked us to sign on to a message to our state legislators. It’s all automatic and takes less than a minute. You can help: click here

You just put in your name and address. The system will automatically generate a message to your area legislators, asking them to join UMass Memorial in opposing MGB’s strategy. Read more . . .

Honoring Veterans: Call for Photos & Stories

As Veterans Day approaches, we would like to recognize the many SHARE members who have served in the US Armed Forces. If you have served in the US military, we invite you to send a photo of yourself to SHARE to be included in a tribute that we are developing to post on our website on Veterans Day. We also welcome photos of family members who have served.

We would like to be able to share, too, some stories about your experience: how did military service prepare you for the work that you do now? For working together in our hospital? What do you want other SHARE members to know about the value of what you do? Read more . . .

Keep the Pressure on to Stop the MGB Expansion

While we await completion of the Mass General Brigham cost-analysis (the next step in the Department of Public Health’s decision to approve expansion), the Coalition to Protect Community Care has asked us to sign on to a message to our state legislators. You can help. It’s all automatic and takes less than a minute: click here

The form letter is quick and easy. You just put in your name and address. The system will automatically generate a message to your area legislators, asking them to join UMass Memorial in opposing MGB’s strategy.

As today’s Op-Ed in the Boston Globe points out, “A recent proposal by Mass General Brigham (formerly Partners HealthCare) to build outpatient surgery centers in Westborough, Westwood, and Woburn marks a troubling new threat to the survival of community hospitals and to overall health care costs for Massachusetts residents.” Every signature counts. Thank you.

Read more posts on the SHARE blog about the #MGB Expansion

Honoring Veterans: Call for Photos & Stories

As Veterans Day approaches, we would like to recognize the many SHARE members who have served in the US Armed Forces. If you have served in the US military, we invite you to send a photo of yourself to SHARE to be included in a tribute that we are developing to post on our website on Veterans Day. We also welcome photos of family members who have served.

We would like to be able to share, too, some stories about your experience: how did military service prepare you for the work that you do now? For working together in our hospital? What do you want other SHARE members to know about the value of what you do?

It’s coming up quick, but we’d like to have all submissions by Tuesday, November 9. Thank you in advance for participating, and for helping get the word out to other Veterans in our SHARE community. And, of course, thank you for what you’ve done to keep our union strong and our country safe.

About the Vaccine Mandate, from the SHARE Organizing Staff

Dear SHARE members,

As the hospital’s deadline for employees to get vaccinated gets closer, over 85% of SHARE members have either been vaccinated or approved for a medical or religious exemption. That leaves a few hundred SHARE members who are not “in compliance” with the mandate. If you are one of them, then this is for you.

If you have not been vaccinated and don’t have an exemption and you want help thinking about your options, we encourage you to reach out to your SHARE staff organizer or email SHARE.

It is clear at this point that there will be a vaccine mandate. SHARE has been working to negotiate about how it impacts SHARE members, but we are not finding the hospital to be very flexible in altering the approach that it has laid out. As negotiators and as friends to many of you, this is frustrating to us, as we know it is to all SHARE members who face important decisions over the next couple weeks. Regardless of whether you’ve been vaccinated, we know what you’ve given to our hospital and community, especially since the onset of COVID.

We are trying to help individual members who are reluctant to get vaccinated by listening, asking questions, and providing the information we have. We won’t try to tell anyone what to do, but we will support all SHARE members as they decide for themselves what they want to do.

in solidarity,

The SHARE staff

Blog Digest: Vaccine Mandate, Referral Bonuses

UMass Memorial VAccine Mandate: Management Decides on Deadlines, SHARE Responds

Last week, UMass Memorial informed SHARE that they decided on COVID-19 vaccine mandate deadlines. The SHARE team that is negotiating about this was surprised: up until then, our understanding was that our discussions were waiting for direction from CMS, which is putting out rules about how hospitals must implement their vaccine mandates in order to get paid by Medicare and Medicaid. CMS has not yet released its directions.

The deadlines in management’s plan are quite clear: the grace period to get vaccinated ends November 15th, followed by unpaid suspension, and termination on December 1st. However, there are still many questions.

A SHARE negotiating team of Executive Board members and organizers continues to meet with management representatives to negotiate the terms of this vaccine mandate. Among other issues, SHARE supports:

  • SHARE members being able to use earned time while suspended from work

  • SHARE members having a choice of resignation, termination, or a “no fault separation” that has some features of a layoff.

  • Individual discipline meetings to directly address SHARE members’ individual issues and try to find a solution, with union representation.

  • Opportunities for rehire if they get vaccinated.

For SHARE members who do not want to get vaccinated and who are struggling with decisions about what to do, this is a very difficult time. SHARE would be happy to talk, and try to help. Contact us at: share.comment@theshareunion.org

Learn More about the Vaccine

SHARE is also advocating for every member to be able to get answers to their questions and concerns. Many of these were addressed recently when SHARE members put their questions to UMass Memorial’s Chief Quality Officer, Dr. Kimi Kobayashi. You can read SHARE members’ questions and Dr. Kobayshi’s responses here.

TODAY at 4:30pm, the hospital will host a panel discussion to address caregiver concerns about the vaccine as they relate to race & ethnicity. Additionally, caregiver questions about pregnancy, breastfeeding, and the vaccine will be discussed by OB/GYN physicians on Friday at noon.

Referral Bonuses for SHARE Members & SHARE Jobs

Did you know that you can get a $3000 bonus if you refer a friend to work at UMass Memorial as a Medical Office Assistant? That’s just one of several referral bonuses currently available to SHARE members. See the full list of jobs and referral amounts in the chart below. If you make a referral, make sure that you and the person you refer both follow the instructions on the Hub so that you can claim your bonus!