July 2007 - June 2009 Union Contract

Wages and Raises: New Raises in 2007 and 2008

July 1, 2007: $9.73/hour is the minimum hourly pay rate. All home care workers will get a raise of 30 cents/hour on July 1, 2007. You earn an additional pay increase for each 2000 hours you work. Wage scale steps range from $9.87 at 2,001 hours of work to $10.77 at 14,001+ hours of work.  Starting pay increases to $10.03 on July 1, 2008.

No more “Shared Living” rule; millions of hours won in contract!

Starting September 2007, the hours which DSHS cut from clients and workers who share a residence will be restored as part of our union contract. For thousands of workers this will be a 10-15% pay increase. New hours will also be added for clients with behavioral or mental health assistance needs.

Paid Vacation Increases in 2007 Contract

IP's earn 1 hour of paid vacation for every 40 hours you work.
IP's can take the vacation as paid time off or cash-out the earned time. The Invoice Express system or your time sheet shows you how to claim your vacation.

Health, Dental, Vision and Pharmacy Benefits for $17/month

IP's who work at least 86 hours a month qualify for employee-only health, dental, vision and prescription drug benefits for a co-premium of $17/month through the SEIU 775 Multi Employer Health Benefits Trust.

There is NO annual deductible for insurance coverage. Health insurance is through Kaiser Permanente in SW Washington or through Premera Blue Cross for the rest of the state. New choices and better coverage will be coming in August, 2007.

Standard Insurance (www.standard.com) is the dental insurance company statewide.

If you already have insurance (through your spouse or other job) you must choose between the Trust health plan and the other insurance. Once you have worked 86 hours for three months, you may enroll at any time. It will take an additional month to authorize your $17 premium payment before coverage starts.

To enroll or for more information about benefits:
Call the trust benefits office toll free at 1-866-771-7359 (translation is available), or download an application form here.

Workers Compensation (Labor & Industries Insurance)

All IP's are covered by L&I workers compensation, which pays for medical bills and treatment for on-the-job injuries or illness, as well as for time-loss when you are unable to do your IP home care job.

• Starting July 1, 2007, the State will pay the entire premium for L & I – this is another raise of approximately 16-17 cents per hour!

Sedgewick CMS handles L & I claims, contact them toll free at
1-866-897-0386.

Paid Mileage Starts in 2008

IP's will be able to claim mileage reimbursement of up to 60 miles per client each month, beginning in July, 2008. Mileage will be paid at the IRS rate, currently 49.5 cents per mile.

A Voice in Professional Training and Quality Care

Grassroots advocacy to hold politicians accountable for quality care is an important part of what caregivers do together through our union. We won an exciting change in the 2007 legislative session, HB 2284. This will create professional education and a certification for home and community caregivers (like Certified Nursing Aide but for in-home care).

Over the next two years, our union will work with educators, workforce development experts, long-term care employers and our allies, to develop a professional educational curriculum. New specialty training will be offered to help you focus on the specific needs of your clients.