2024 Central Massachusetts AFL-CIO Scholarship

The SHARE office recently received the following annual notice from Joe Carlson, President of the Central Massachusetts AFL/CIO, about a really great scholarship opportunity for members. The lottery for these scholarships will be open to any SHARE members, as well as children and grandchildren of our members, who will graduate from high school this year and attend college next year.

TIPS FOR APPLYING

Many SHARE members are familiar with Chloe Belsito, a recipient of the 2022 scholarship, from her virtual performance to convey appreciation for caregivers in the UMass Memorial Gratitude Concert series. Chloe has also been a contestant on American Idol.

Please note that the union affiliation should be identified as AFSCME/SHARE. Members at UMass Memorial (including Marlboro Hospital) are in Local Union Number 3900. Applications should NOT be sent to the SHARE office.

OTHER EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES

Keep your eye on the SHARE blog for more #scholarships. For additional educational opportunities, check out posts tagged #education.

SHARE Updates: MLK Day, Education Opportunities & More

Happy Martin Luther King Day

As you may remember, our own union is very directly linked to Dr. Martin Luther King, and owes a debt of gratitude to his work toward social justice through organized labor. Research by the Economic Policy Institute points out that unions promote equity in key ways:

  • Unions reduce racial and ethnic pay gaps

  • Racial wealth gaps are much smaller for union members

  • Unions boost women’s pay (including in SHARE, whose membership is over 80% women)

  • Unions protect workers from discriminatory and retaliatory firings

  • Unions strengthen our democracy

Although our work as caregivers never allows for all of us to take a day off together, we’re proud that UMass Memorial Medical Center has agreed through our Contract to recognize Martin Luther King Day as an official holiday. SHARE calls on the other entities within UMass Memorial network, including Marlboro Hospital, to acknowledge the importance of this day.

SHARE honors Dr. King, and is honored to continue in service of the goals that he strove toward. After all, we know that the arc of the moral universe isn’t going to bend itself.

New education & College Debt Forgivneness Opportunities

Union Plus Scholarship Deadline: January 31

As a member of SHARE, you may qualify for one of several Union Plus Scholarships. The Union Plus Scholarship awards are presented annually to union members or members of their families who want to begin or continue their post-secondary education. Amounts range from $500 to $4,000. These one-time cash awards are for study beginning in the Fall of 2024. Current and retired members of participating unions, their spouses and their dependent children (as defined by IRS regulations). At least one year of continuous union membership by the applicant, applicant's spouse or parent (if applicant is a dependent). Learn more about scholarships here.

Union Plus Education Benefits

Union Plus College is back with new tools and opportunities for making affordable education a reality for union members. Their new program, Education Marketplace, is powered by Edvance and gives you and your union family access to regionally-accredited schools and programs to meet your schedule, interests, career goals and budget. Find Associates and Bachelors degrees that meet your needs, including 100% online classes, with up to 50% off tuition. Learn more about the Union Plus College benefit here.

Federal Student Loan Debt Relief

According to a recent NPR report, “Anyone who borrowed $12,000 or less in federal student loans and has been in repayment for at least 10 years will have their debts automatically erased in February, as long as they first enroll in the Biden administration's new income-based repayment plan known as SAVE.” See https://studentaid.gov/ for more information.

About the 2024 Dues Increases

You may have noticed that your paycheck has not yet reflected the recently announced 2024 dues increase. UMass Memorial tells us that these deductions are now scheduled to begin with next week’s paycheck.

How to Decline covid and Flu shots in compliance with UMass Memorial’s vaccination Policy

Although all employees of UMass Memorial are required to take action in accordance with the hospital’s flu and Covid vaccine policies, it is no longer required to get either of the shots as a condition of employment. No one has to get the flu vaccine or the COVID vaccine, they just have to fill out the paperwork to decline, per DPH.

In case you missed it, SHARE had a big year in 2023. Check out the SHARE website for some of our year’s greatest hits

2024 Dues Rates Announced

AFSCME, SHARE’s parent union, has announced dues rates increases for the upcoming year. The 2024 regular weekly dues rate for SHARE members will be $10.78. That is an increase of $0.55 per paycheck, or slightly more than one cent per hour. For members working 20 hours/week, the 2024 weekly rate will be $8.07.

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.

When it comes to a monetary cost-benefit-analysis, dues clearly pay themselves off. This image demonstrates how the math works for this year when comparing increases in costs deducted by the employer against the increase in wages.

Am I Required to Pay Dues?

Because all employees working in the SHARE bargaining unit at UMass Memorial receive the benefits negotiated by our union, all employees are required to contribute through membership or through an equal paycheck deduction authorized by a “Fair Share” card.

If you have questions or would like to sign a Fair Share card, please call the SHARE office and leave a message at 508-929-4020 or email share.comment@theshareunion.org.

Only members can run for union leadership positions, vote in union elections, and participate in benefits programs such as UnionPlus.

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.

Vascular Surgery Office UBT Reaches Level 4!

The Vascular Surgery Office UBT is among the first in the System to reach LEVEL 4 (High-Performing UBT) on their Path to Performance! That means they’ve hit some serious milestones, and established themselves as a strong team. They’ve presented their work recently to the SHARE-UMass Memorial Leadership Council (LMPC), and it’s clear that their teamwork is turning into some real fun.

Frontline SHARE members in this UBT have developed projects that have yielded measurable and sustainable improvement, and they communicate and celebrate regularly about the work and successes with the whole department.

This Unit Based Team works in the Medical School on University Campus. It is co-led by Beatrice Edmonds and Devon Germak, and is co-sponsored by Jana Hollingsworth and Stephanie Costello. The UBT Committee members include Mary Borrelli, Jeanne Magliaro, Norma Mills, Lindsey Carr and Hannah Akoto-Kesse.

Please congratulate them on their big accomplishment if you see them around!

SHARE Updates: Happy Holidays and More

2024 Dues Rates Announced

AFSCME, SHARE’s parent union, has announced dues rates increases for the upcoming year. The 2024 regular weekly dues rate for SHARE members will be $10.78. That is an increase of $0.55 per paycheck, or slightly more than one cent per hour. For members working 20 hours/week, the 2024 weekly rate will be $8.07.

To learn more about dues, including how they’re calculated, and why they’re a cost-effective investment in yourself and your co-workers, click here.

Free Surgical Tech Certificate Program

UMass Memorial and Lasell University are partnering to offer a one-year accredited accelerated course for in-demand Surgical Technician jobs. This “earn and learn” program is designed to allow caregivers to do their coursework while working. Learn more, including how to register for one of the two information sessions in January, here.

Partnership growing with Unit Based Teams

The expanded SHARE UMass Memorial Partnership office is hitting its stride, supporting the addition of even more teams. Now, well over half of SHARE members work in departments attached to Unit Based Teams. The coaches are also working with existing teams to further strengthen and develop so that they can fulfill their main purpose: making it easier for SHARE members to enjoy work and do work you can be proud of.

In case you missed it on the Hub, you can read more about the progress here, and take a peak at the first-ever Level 4 Unit Based Team in the Vascular Surgery office. Congratulations all around!

Continued frustration with the Reset of time-off caps

Contrary to what SHARE reported last week, the Paid Time Off cap for part-time employees will be the same as the level for 40-hour employees, not lower. (Which means that the chart at the bottom of this previous blog post contains the accurate information for all members.) Some of you may have cashed out time thinking you would lose it (to your sick bank) when you didn’t need to.

We are really sorry about the bad information. SHARE worked hard to get the correct information from the hospital so that we could get it out to all SHARE members, in an impossibly short time-line. The hospital confirmed the wrong caps for part-timers. We take our role as providing reliable information to SHARE members very seriously, and we are quite frustrated with the hospital about this whole PTO cap-cutting process.

SHARE advocated strongly for a further extension of the higher COVID-temporary PTO caps, since SHARE members got so little notice to remind us when they were going back down. In spite of all the good reasons to extend, or pay out the excess time, or add another cash-out, the hospital leadership ultimately decided to cut the caps back down to the regular, negotiated caps on December 31, 2023, with no flexibility. We know that, due to continued surges in patient volume and short-staffing, some SHARE members still have not been able to spend-down their time-off hours post-COVID. Cutting the PTO banks with so little notice was the wrong thing to do.

About the Hospital’s Vaccination Policy

Although all employees of UMass Memorial are required to take action in accordance with the hospital’s flu and Covid vaccine policies, it is no longer required to get either of the shots as a condition of employment. No one has to get the flu vaccine or the COVID vaccine, they just have to fill out the paperwork to decline, per DPH. If you do decline the flu shot, you will have to wear a mask in clinical areas.

You do not need to mask because you decline the Covid shot. That said, masking has resumed in some areas: the hospital’s masking policy requires everyone, regardless of booster status, to mask for patient encounters when more than ten caregivers are out with COVID.

Happy Holidays from SHARE

The SHARE organizing staff hope that you and yours have a truly wonderful season . . .

More about the End of the Temporary PTO Cap Increase

As you know from messages from the hospital, as well as the recent email from SHARE (which can be found online here), the limits for PTO accruals will fall back to the negotiated caps at the end of this month. Although this doesn’t affect the vast majority of SHARE members — only those who have earned time above those limits — 70 or so SHARE members can benefit from taking action now.

ROLLING OVER TIME TO A SICK BANK

One thing to know is that, if you are above the limit, and you are on Earned Time (i.e., one bank, as opposed to some long longer-term members who stayed with Traditional Time, meaning they still accrue to both sick and vacation banks), then any earned time over the cap that you don’t use or cash out will automatically roll over into a reserve sick bank.

The good news about that is that the accrued time still belongs to you, and can come in handy in a pinch. However, that time then becomes more difficult to access, since the sick bank is only for extended medical leaves, after you’ve already used a full week of Earned Time.

IF YOU’RE NOT ON THE BOOKS AS A 40-HOUR EMPLOYEE

The email we sent last week included a chart for 40-hour employees to know the exact amount of your cap. However, if you are on the books as a 24- or 32-hour employee, your cap will be lower. See chart below for your approximate cap. Please call the SHARE office at EXTENSION 10, or email us if you would like help with this, or have questions.

SHARE IS PUSHING THE HOSPITAL TO EXTEND

The hospital raised the caps temporarily because they recognized that, throughout the pandemic, many employees were not able to take time off. Because caregivers were still in such demand, and still experiencing difficulty getting time away, UMass Memorial leadership extended the end-date for the higher maximums by an additional year.  SHARE recognizes that many members continue to be unable to use their time, especially during the holidays and recent surges in patient volume. SHARE is advocating that the deadline be extended further. The hospital has not, however, indicated that it will do so.

The End of the Temporary Increase in PTO Banks

SHARE has received a number of questions and complaints about the recent emails from UMass Memorial regarding Paid Time Off. Here’s what the conversation is about . . .

What’s Happening

With the hospital moving back to the pre-COVID vacation caps at the end of the year, SHARE members and everyone else will return to their regular vacation caps. The hospital had raised the limits temporarily because they recognized that many employees worked through the pandemic without being able to take time off.

SHARE members can carry over all their earned time from one year to the next. The issue is that the caps are going back down to the negotiated limits on 12/31/2023 this year.

The charts below show the earned time caps according to seniority date and how long someone has worked here. (These can be found on pages 62 and 63 of the SHARE contract.)

 

What SHARE is Doing

First, we are trying to make sure that SHARE members with less earned time than the caps know that nothing will change for them.

Second, we are urging the hospital to delay the lowering of caps for 3 months so that people have time to use (or cash out) their earned time. We know that it’s very difficult for many SHARE members to get additional vacation time over the holidays, and many people have put off vacation because of the high patient census.

Why Are We on Level 5 So Often? What’s Going on with Inpatient Volume?

Understanding what’s happening with patient volume was on the agenda at November’s SHARE-UMass Memorial Labor Management Partnership Council (LMPC) meeting, which brings together leaders from our union with the hospital’s executive leadership.

Kim Barry (ACNO and VP, Patient Care Services at UMass Memorial) described how hospitals across Massachusetts are dealing with high volume . . . including the ED boarders and bed shortages that go with it. SHARE members on the inpatient nursing floors and in the Emergency Rooms are dealing with this reality every day.

The high patient volume is caused by a combination of factors, including delayed care and short staffing, both inside hospitals and in the places hospitals discharge patients to, such as nursing homes, rehab centers, and behavioral health settings. The slides below further describe the issue, and UMass Memorial’s plan to deal with it.

This chart shows how many patients across Massachusetts were waiting for a bed elsewhere before they could be discharged on one day in September.

Kim described a wide range of changes and strategies that UMass Memorial is trying, all with the aim of improving the patient flow. In particular, there are several plans to add beds.

At the December meeting of the LMPC, we are going to talk about plans for anticipated Winter surges of COVID, RSV, etc.

SHARE and UMass Memorial Get Ready to Launch Medical Assistant Registered Apprenticeship

Kellie Morton (SHARE Organizer and Patient Care Associate) and Janet Wilder (SHARE Organizer) at the recent Medical Assistant Apprenticeship press conference

“Many SHARE members want to learn and grow in their careers. But it’s tough to go to school when you have a job, and kids, and bills to pay. Registered apprenticeships are one way to ‘earn and learn,’ which is critical for many SHARE members,” said Janet Wilder, SHARE Organizer at a press conference on Wednesday.

SHARE and UMass Memorial are working together to create career paths for SHARE members to move up in the organization. On Wednesday, our organizations jointly announced an apprenticeship to train medical assistants, starting in the spring of 2024.

Massachusetts Secretary of Labor, Lauren Jones (speaking), with UMass Memorial’s Interim President Justin Precourt, and Director of Workforce Development and Planning, Kelley Aiken

Since our most recent contract negotiations ended – where we increased tuition benefits – SHARE has been working with UMass Memorial to create as many career pathways as possible. SHARE aims for members to have options for growth, and for UMass Memorial to have people to fill positions who are well-trained, who are committed to UMass Memorial and our patients, and who want to stay and grow their careers.

Kelly Aiken, Director of Workforce Development and Planning, UMass Memorial Health, spoke about the new career training programs and how our hospital focuses on “hot jobs,” which are both in high-demand and challenging to fill. Some of those roles include: Medical Assistants, PCAs, and Surgical Technologists.

Massachusetts Secretary of Labor, Lauren Jones, joined-in to celebrate National Apprenticeship Week. It turns out that our Medical Assistant registered apprenticeship will be the first healthcare registered apprenticeship in Central Massachusetts.

“I’ve worked at UMass Memorial for 31 years,” says Kellie Morton, Medical Office Assistant in the Oncology Clinic and part-time SHARE Organizer. “I started with a training class in Home Health offered by the hospital, and I’ve worked my way up. Now I’m a Medical Assistant. It’s been an honor to help to design the Medical Assistant Apprenticeship program. We need more Medical Assistants to fill jobs, and giving opportunities to our own caregivers is huge. We’re excited to help train the new apprentices by precepting them during their on-the-job training. I want everyone to have opportunities!”

The career training programs that we create together – union and management -- will be stronger and better because they take into front-line SHARE members’ experience and knowledge.

If you are interested in the Medical Assistant apprenticeship, watch for more information in the new year. There will be room for 10 students in the first group, and we will grow from there.

UMass Memorial’s Director of Workforce Development and Planning, Kelley Aiken, announces the forthcoming “Earn and Learn” apprenticeship program where employees can advance their schooling and their career while working. Watch the story on local SpectrumNews1.

Your Department Weather Policy: What You Should Know

SHARE’s contract agreement with UMass Memorial says this: "All employees are expected to report to work, unless the severe weather plan in their department allows them to stay home." The full policy is posted below.

Of course, your work area may benefit from something better tailored to the work that you do. If you do not know if there’s a department-specific plan for your area, you should check with your supervisor or manager. The practice of the department should remain the same from year-to-year, and not change without negotiation between department leadership and SHARE staff.

perfect+storm+snowman.jpg

If you have questions, or would like help developing, revising, or documenting the plan in your own department, call or email the SHARE office.

Please take good care when making decisions about traveling in extreme weather.

severe weather

from SHARE-UMass Memorial Contract Agreement, page 82

UMass Memorial is an essential community service and as such will continue its operations without regard to weather conditions. However, UMass Memorial and SHARE recognize that severe weather conditions can interfere with the ability of employees to come to work, and agree to the following:

Staffing plans

The CNO, CMO, Hospital President and Vice-Presidents are responsible for developing a fair and equitable staffing plan to ensure continued essential services, and for informing employees of staffing and attendance requirements.

In order for employees to know what their responsibilities are in the case of severe weather, departments are encouraged to develop plans for their areas within the framework of the hospital plan described above. Employees are encouraged to participate in the development of the plan for their department. Department severe weather plans could include: what staffing level is required in the case of severe weather (such as full staffing, skeletal staffing, or no staffing necessary); how employees will find out if they are required to be at work that day, who to call and how to reach them; and whether there is a difference in their department between the plan for severe weather and the plan for a declared state of emergency. Department managers should review the severe weather plan for their department with all employees annually before winter weather begins.

All employees are expected to report to work, unless the severe weather plan in their department allows them to stay home.

Staying at work

Employees who are working during severe weather conditions are expected to work through the end of their assigned work shift unless they are excused earlier. In extreme situations, employees may be required to work beyond the end of their normal scheduled work shift if the manager determines it necessary to meet patient care and operational needs. SHARE overtime rules will apply.

Department closing, early dismissal
If a department is closed for all or part of the day due to severe weather, employees may go home (see pay for missed hours) or choose to report to/remain at work. The hospital may assign people who stay at work to perform different functions than their normal job. For a work assignment in an area other than your own, page the nursing supervisor/bed management: for the University campus, pager #2044; for the Memorial campus (on evenings, nights, weekends and holidays) pager #3318.

Grace period for late arrivals
The office of the CEO or his/her designee may establish a paid grace period for arriving late to work. The length of the grace period will be based on the severity of the weather conditions.

Pay for missed hours

Other than late arrivals covered by an established grace period, employees who miss all or part of their work shift may use earned, vacation or personal time, or choose to go unpaid for the hours they missed. When appropriate, an employee may make up the time that week, by mutual consent between the employee and the supervisor. Made up hours will be paid at straight time unless weekly hours total more than 40.

Excused and unexcused absences
If an employee does not work because the department is closed, or because they are not required to come to work, it will be considered an excused absence. Late arrivals covered by an established grace period will be considered an excused absence. Other absences from work on a severe weather day will be considered unexcused.

Transportation

When severe weather makes travel unsafe, or in a state of emergency, transportation assistance may be available. Requests for assistance should be directed to the nursing supervisor/bed management: for the University campus, pager #2044; for the Memorial campus (on evenings, nights, weekends and holidays) pager #3318. When necessary, communication with external bodies such as the National Guard and ambulance carriers will be coordinated through these offices.

SHARE Thanksgiving Update: Scholarships, Inclement Weather, and More . . .

UMass Memorial Medical Assistant Apprenticeships Announced

SHARE organizers Kellie Morton and Janet Wilder joined UMass Memorial leadership and Massachusetts Secretary of Labor Lauren Jones at a recent press conference to announce a forthcoming “Earn and Learn” apprenticeship program. With this apprenticeship — the first healthcare apprenticeship in Massachusetts — employees will be able to advance their schooling and their career while working. Details, including how to apply, will be announced in the coming months, and posted on the SHARE website. Read the full post.

“I’ve worked at UMass Memorial for 31 years,” says Kellie Morton, Medical Office Assistant in the Oncology Clinic and part-time SHARE Organizer, seen here with SHARE Organizer Janet Wilder. “I started with a training class in Home Health offered by the hospital, and I’ve worked my way up. . . . We’re excited to help train the new apprentices by precepting them during their on-the-job training. I want everyone to have opportunities!”

UMass Memorial’s Interim President Justin Precourt and Director of Workforce Development and Planning Kelly Aiken with Massachusetts Secretary of Labor Lauren Jones.

Watch the story on local SpectrumNews1.

Learn to Be a PCA

Are you interested to learn to be a PCA (Patient Care Associate) and take care of patients on the inpatient nursing floors? Or maybe you know someone else who is? Check out this new training program!

Improve Your English Language Skills

UMass Memorial’s free Workplace English Fall 2023 courses are already underway, but there are still some spaces left. These online courses are for any caregiver wanting to grow their English language abilities, for learners at any skill level. Learn more here.

Bad Weather Ahead?

SHARE’s contract agreement with UMass Memorial says this: "All employees are expected to report to work, unless the severe weather plan in their department allows them to stay home.” Of course, your work area may benefit from something better tailored to the work that you do. If you do not know if there’s a department-specific plan for your area, you should check with your supervisor or manager. The practice of the department should remain the same from year-to-year, and not change without negotiation between department leadership and the SHARE members. To learn more about the policy, and how SHARE’s contract creates opportunities for improving the plans where you work, read this recent post . . .

Massachusetts AFL-CIO Scholarship

When it comes to being awarded union scholarships, SHARE members have a strong record. We’re looking forward to seeing more SHARE families benefit from this new round of available aid . . .

The Annual AFL-CIO Scholarship and Labor Education Program is in its 65th year. Through the program, the Massachusetts AFL-CIO and affiliated unions are proud to award financial resources to high school students pursuing trade union programs or college/university study. ­The Massachusetts AFL-CIO administers half a million dollars of scholarship awards on behalf of unions and labor councils throughout the state. Individual awards range from $500 to $16,000. You can view a list of available awards and their criteria here.

In order to be eligible for a scholarship, students must be a senior in high school and take the Labor History Exam. December 22, 2023 is the last day to register. For more information, including answers to Frequently Asked Questions and a Labor History Study Guide, visit https://massaflcio.org/scholarships

What’s Going on with Inpatient Volume?

SHARE members on the inpatient nursing floors and in the Emergency Rooms are dealing every day with the hard reality of our hospital being at Level 5 capacity status.

At the recent LMPC meeting, hospital leaders explained to SHARE that the high patient volume is caused by a combination of factors, including delayed care and short staffing . . . both inside hospitals, and in the places hospitals discharge patients to, such as nursing homes, rehabs and behavioral health settings. See visuals describing the increased volume — and our hospital’s plan to deal with it — here.

Topping Off Paid Family Medical Leave

The passage of the Family Medical Leave Ac (FMLA) in 1993 provided critical job protections for American workers and their families. The Massachusetts Paid Family Medical Leave (PFML) furthered those protections by helping workers here avoid the often impossible choice between getting paid and taking time to get healthy. However, until now, even though Massachusetts provided pay to those taking PFML leave, workers still generally couldn’t maintain their full income.

Thanks to a new provision, Massachusetts employees can now use the Paid Time Off that they’ve accrued through their employer to top-off their income while on medical leave. For more details, check out these answers to Frequently Asked Questions.

Working On Veterans Day

Because Veterans Day landed on a Saturday this year, many SHARE members had questions about holiday pay. The SHARE/UMass Memorial Contract Agreement points out that, for minor holidays such as Veterans Day: “SHARE members who work Monday through Friday will receive the holiday benefit on the observed holiday, except that the holiday differential will only be paid for hours worked on the actual holiday. Holiday differential will not be paid for working on observed holidays that are different from the actual holiday.” (page 58)

Working Around thanksgiving

We know that the work itself can often be more complicated around the holidays. SHARE has negotiated in several areas over the years for an increased number of employees to take off the day after Thanksgiving. We hear that, for still other members, it makes more sense to be home for the day. We’ll continue working with your departments, where the demands of the work allow for it, to maximize the number of people who can take the day off.

As always, SHARE is grateful to everyone who will be working and making personal sacrifices to care for patients and keep our work community strong.

Thanksgiving dinner tastes best when it’s prepared with love . . . using union-made ingredients!

SHARE Honors Veterans

SHARE members know that, contrary to stereotypes, military veterans are not just tough individuals. We know that your experiences in challenging environments can foster a unique understanding of the importance of giving care. We know all of that, in part, because so many SHARE members are veterans themselves!

To all of our veterans, SHARE thanks you for your service, and for the unique skills and sensibilities that you bring to our hospital.

SHARE Benefits & the Holiday

Although Veterans Day is an important time to stop and pause, to reflect and honor, it’s also true that the work of our hospital can’t stop, not even for a second. SHARE continually negotiates for as many people to be off as possible on days like this one, but most departments will remain open.

We’re grateful to all of you who continue the important work of our hospital through the holiday. For information about how holiday pay works, see page 56 of the SHARE contract (or the highlights below).

Perks and Services for Veterans

We do hope that our veterans are able to take advantage of the ways that our community recognizes your commitment to our country. Here are lists of freebies and benefits from the local Patch website and from military.com in honor of Veterans Day. Service can sometimes create ongoing demands on veterans, of course, so please also know that there is a wide range of local services designated to help you.

“When SHARE Members Work a Holiday

Holiday Differential: SHARE members who work any of the four minor holidays shall receive the holiday differential of $0.85 for each hour worked on the holiday. The minor holidays are Martin Luther King Day, Presidents Day, Columbus Day and Veterans Day. Major

…

Hour-For-Hour Holiday Bank Time for Holiday Worked: When a SHARE member works a holiday, holiday bank hours are placed in their holiday or earned bank for later use. The number of hours you earn will be the greater of: the number of hours that you work on the holiday, or 1/5 your scheduled weekly hours.

….

Holiday Benefit when you are Off for the Holiday

Holiday Benefit for Non-Worked Holiday: SHARE members receive a holiday benefit of 1/5 their scheduled weekly hours….”
— Excerpts from the Holiday Policy, which starts of page 56 of the SHARE – UMass Memorial contract

Couillard Scholarship for PCAs and LPNs

Are you pursuing a nursing degree? SHARE has just learned that the following scholarship opportunity is being made available through UMass Memorial.

Please note that the application deadline is almost here: Friday, November 10!

from the UMass Memorial Department of Nursing Professional Development . . .

On behalf of the Couillard Fund, we have an exciting announcement for Medical Center PCA and LPN Caregivers! 

The Couillard Fund, in collaboration with the Department of Nursing, is excited to be awarding four (4) Couillard Fund nursing scholarships to full time and part time PCA and LPN caregivers who are currently enrolled in a nursing program leading to RN licensure.  We want to encourage those who are working to pursue or advance their nursing practice to apply for this unique opportunity. 

Each scholarship will be awarded in the amount of $2500 which will be paid directly to the winner’s school. 

Submissions can be completed using the online survey monkey link

or paper application below. 


All submissions should be completed by the applicant and emailed to nursingexcellence@umassmemorial.org and/or completed online by November 10, 2023. 

 

Winners will be announced before the end of calendar year 2023. 

We look forward to reviewing your application! 



Open Enrollment DEADLINE FRIDAY!

Tips and Tools FOR YOU AND YOUR CO-WORKERS

Everyone must respond!

As you probably know, this year there’s a shortened Open Enrollment period, and the hospital is requiring ALL employees to make benefits choices.

What Members Are Saying

SHARE is working hard to make sure that no one goes without Health Insurance. We’ve had hundreds of conversations over the past week to see how things are going. Most members say it’s easy, and the Benefits hotline is helpful to answer questions. But some members have run into surprises . . .

Don’t Delay! Enroll Now!

Some members say that they come across decisions that they hadn’t anticipated; for example, they had to talk through decisions about orthodontics coverage with other members of their family, and were glad they enrolled early enough to have time for that.

See It Through

Other members have been surprised that they were still listed as un-enrolled: they had forgotten to click “Submit” at the end of the process. If you have not gotten an email confirmation about your benefits elections, log back in to http://mybenefits.umassmemorial.org/ and make sure you’re done.

Make It Easy On Yourself

Members who’ve had the easiest time enrolling have generally based this year’s choices off of their previous choices. You can easily review your current benefits right in the app. (See the photo below for the phone view.)

Thank you to everyone who’s helping to make sure that everyone in our community gets signed up during Open Enrollment this year. If you have co-workers who still need to sign up, they can point their phone’s camera at the above QR code. That’ll take them straight to the Benefits site. Or, log into http://mybenefits.umassmemorial.org/

Keep In Touch

If you have tips, or if you’re running into problems or questions that the Benefits Office can’t help with, let SHARE know!

SHARE Updates: Retirement Planning, Open Enrollment, and More

Raise time is a good time to start — or increasE — your 401K deduction

Take good care of your future self by taking advantage of UMass Memorial’s 401k contribution match!

Some SHARE members choose this time to increase their contribution because they say they won't miss the money as much if the deduction starts at the same time as the raise. UMass Memorial adds $.50 for each dollar you contribute to your 401k, matching up to 2% of your pay. Learn more here.

required action: Open Enrollment

Monday, October 16 — Friday, October 27

Please note that the hospital is requiring ALL employees to enroll in benefits elections during this year’s shortened open-enrollment period. SHARE is advocating that no one should lose health insurance if they fail to update their choices, but the employer currently maintains that no enrollment = no coverage.

For more information, please see this message from UMass Memorial Hospital.

Rental Assistance Program Kicks Off

The popularity of SHARE’s new Rental Assistance Program has been massive, and is offering much-needed financial support at a time when many SHARE members need it most. The spike in Central Massachusetts rental costs has made it so hard to produce first-,last- and security deposit, but this loan aims to address this need. Please note that the loan is only applicable to those members actively moving to a new place: UMass Five Credit Union may require proof-of-lease to approve this low-interest loan.

Visit the SHARE website for more about the Rental Assistance Loan

Free Covid-19 Test Kits

Since September 25, every U.S. household has again become eligible to place an order to receive four more free COVID-19 rapid tests delivered directly to their home. Order your free kits from covid.gov

* Before You Throw Out "Expired" Tests: Check FDA's website to see if your COVID-19 tests' expiration dates have been extended.

The SHARE Unit Based Team (UBT) at Barre Family Health Center only began in April of 2022, but has quickly climbed the ranks to become one of the pioneering Teams to achieve Level 3 on the Path to Performance.

. . . and the Vascular office has just become one of the very first teams to reach Level 4 UBT status. Congratulations on charting the way!

The SHARE Union / 50 Lake Avenue, Worcester, MA 01604 / Phone: (508) 929-4020 / Fax: (508) 929-4040