On August 27, SEIU 721 members overwhelmingly approved a landmark six-month contract including a new Juneteenth paid holiday, fully funded medical and dental coverage, and across-the-board “Heroes Pay for All” bonuses.
While the Board of Supervisors still has not approved the agreement, there is no doubt that they will vote to approve our new contract.
First, the County CEO must file a Board letter which will appear on two consecutive Board agendas. We have fought tirelessly to ensure that SEIU 721 members receive their Heroes Pay for All bonuses in time for the holidays, and have been assured by the Chief Executive Office that our agreement will appear on upcoming board agendas and bonuses will be received shortly after. Here’s what we can expect moving forward:
$1,000 Bonus
In the best-case scenario, the basic $1,000 bonus will be in your paycheck by Thanksgiving. This will be implemented automatically without any action required by employees.
Additional $500 for Employees at “Elevated Risk”
Any employee whose assignment during the pandemic required them to come within six feet of a co-worker or member of the public for at least 15 minutes qualifies for this bonus. To receive the bonus, an employee must complete a brief form attesting to their qualification. These forms will be made available online and in print once the Board of Supervisors approves the Agreement. Based on available information, we estimate that those employees who complete their forms in a timely manner will receive these bonuses in time for the holidays.
Additional Provider Relief Fund Bonuses (up to $650) for Employees in DHS
Employees in DHS are eligible for bonuses in addition to those listed above. All DHS employees who were employed during the pandemic will automatically receive an additional $150. Once again, in the best-case scenario this will be in your paycheck in time for the holidays. DHS employees who were at elevated risk during the pandemic qualify for another $500 bonus (in addition to the $500 bonus listed above.) To receive this bonus an employee must complete a second form, much like the one mentioned above. These forms will also be made available once the Board of Supervisors approves the Agreement. Based on available information, we estimate that those employees who complete their forms in a timely manner will receive these bonuses in time for the holidays.
Do we have any update as to when the letter should be appearing before the Board?
We expect to see it on the October 19 Board agenda.
Wow!
How about the DPSS employees stationed at DHS sites? Would they qualify for the Additional Provider Relief Fund Bonuses?
No, the CARES Act Provider Relief Funds cannot lawfully be used outside of DHS, even to provide to compensation
This is horrible how is it when it is them we are pushed. And mandated to do right then and there and when it’s Ilya we have to wait what your saying is all hypothetical they haven’t signed anything we should be getting ready to strike they don’t respect us or our time
Board approval of the Agreement is a formality. There is no doubt whatsoever that the Agreement will be approved. Unfortunately, this year, as has often been the case in the past, the County has moved very slowly. SEIU 721 members ratified the Agreement on August 27. There is no good reason that it should take the County 7 weeks to get a red-lined and checked version of the Agreement into a Board letter on the agenda. The fact that the Board has only been meeting twice per month during the pandemic is not a valid excuse.
I agree, let’s strike, this little bit of chomp change is a slap in the face.
When will the Self Attest forms be available? And where can I obtain one?
We expect that the County will email the Self Attest forms to all SEIU 721 represented members in early November. To complete the form you simply need to check off a box to indicate that Yes, your assignment during the pandemic did require you to come within six feet of a co-worker or a member of the public for at least 15 minutes on at least one occasion.
So I see you have everyone excited about this small bonus. I’m wondering why we didn’t get a cost of living raise or any raise at all. Everything is gong up except our ability to pay for it. How is this fair after all we’ve been through and still going through.?
We fought for a cost-of-living raise, but the County wouldn’t commit to ongoing expenditures, just one-time bonuses. Our challenge was made much more difficult, because by the time we began bargaining, nine other L.A. County unions had opted to “roll over” their contracts with NO economic improvements at all.
The vast majority of SEIU 721 members will receive bonuses totaling $1500 or, in DHS, $2100. Because the Agreement is for just 6 months, for an SEIU 721 member with an average salary of $5000 per month, the $1500 bonus provides the same amount of money as a 5% salary increase.
This seems very weird, I thought this was already said and done,seriously! Why are you putting us through this everyone one like the groceries store did get a bonus. So at this point very disappointed.
The process IS frustratingly slow. Before bonuses can be issued, several things need to happen:
1. SEIU 721 members ratify the Agreement.
2. County develops a red-lined version of the Agreement.
3. County Counsel reviews Agreement.
4. Board of Supervisors officially approves the Agreement.
5. Board of Supervisors approves a new salary ordinance which formalizes the bonuses.
6. LACERA analyzes the bonuses to determine pensionability.
7. Auditor-Controller programs payroll.
This is awesome!
Awesome
What form and where can I receive the form?
We expect that the Department of Human Resources will email the Self Attest forms to all SEIU 721 represented members in early November. To complete the form you simply need to check off a box to indicate that Yes, your assignment during the pandemic did require you to come within six feet of a co-worker or a member of the public for at least 15 minutes on at least one occasion.
The Union will announce as soon as the forms become available and will offer assistance to any member who has any questions about the form.
Will urgent care be considered elevated risk?
Definitely. There is a VERY low bar to qualify for the additional bonuses. Any employee whose assignment during the pandemic required them to come within 6 feet of a co-worker or member of the public for at least 15 minutes – even one time! – should claim the additional bonus(es).
Will County employees that were hired and began work August 2nd, 2021 be eligible to receive the $1000 hero pay?
No, to qualify for the bonuses an employee must have been employed with the County before July 1, 2021 (and must remain employed at the time the bonuses are issued).
My name is claudia we are waiting for the heroes pay we took care off COVID potions we suffer a lot. There is long story but I want to make it fast
We all want to see the bonuses issued as quickly as possible. The union first began pressing the County to expedite the process back on August 11. We were told that the CEO was targeting mid-September to place the Agreement and letter on the Board agenda. A month later and it still has not appeared. COVID is not a valid excuse.
What about the bonuses that were in discussion for temporary part-time workers?
Temporary and part-time workers qualify for a $500 bonus if they were working at least half time during the pandemic.
My question is in regards to the “brief attesting form”. Where exactly will we be able to locate and print the attesting forms? In the SEIU 721 Local Union website or at the Board of Supervisors website? Please be more clear and give out more information on these “brief attesting forms” so we can be ready to print them out and turned them in to the proper authority/Dept. in a timely manner. Thank you.
We expect that the Department of Human Resources will email the Self Attest forms to all SEIU 721 represented members in early November. To complete the form you will simply need to check off a box to indicate that – Yes – your assignment during the pandemic did require you to come within six feet of a co-worker or a member of the public for at least 15 minutes on at least one occasion. No other information will be required. As soon as we receive more specific information about the when and where, we will spread the word and we… Read more »
Why so difficult? Thought you were here to support the workers.
The process IS frustratingly slow. Before bonuses can be issued, several things need to happen:
1. SEIU 721 members ratify the Agreement.
2. County develops a red-lined version of the Agreement.
3. County Counsel reviews Agreement.
4. Board of Supervisors officially approves the Agreement.
5. Board of Supervisors approves a new salary ordinance which formalizes the bonuses.
6. LACERA analyzes the bonuses to determine pensionability.
7. Auditor-Controller programs payroll.
Since August 11 the Union has been pushing the County to make things happen as quickly as possible, but they keep missing their stated timelines.
I retired on April of 2021 I was working on the pandemic at dhs.do I calcified
The County has a long-standing policy/practice – they do not compensate employees after they leave service.
Wow, how can you let the board take this long to vote? We rushed our votes to get this done. Now we have to fill out forms? Haha? What’s this all about? So October 30th we shouldn’t expect the 1000$ bonus? This is ridiculous. Some employees really need this bonus and SEIU is just pushing it along. Such a joke
Please read the response to similar comments.
You promise us 2100$ now we have to fill out forms in order to get it. But at the time you had employees in danger , coming in to work and risking their lives to get the job done? First off why didn’t you mention the split of the bonus before we voted? No one said anything about this. Shame on you
The Union has repeatedly reported on how the bonuses work, including the fact that to receive the additional bonuses (beyond the automatic $1000) an employee must complete a brief form to attest that their assignment during the pandemic required them to come within six feet of a co-worker or member of the public for at least 15 minutes on at least one occasion. The vast majority of SEIU 721 members will qualify for these bonuses, because even those who have been teleworking did come into the workplace at least once during the pandemic. And some departments did not begin telework… Read more »
In time for the holidays. But yet we had to rush in our vote to get this done. Nothing but trickery here. You guys should be ashamed of yourselves. Watch us get the bonus by February, cause no one fights for us. Why do other unions get higher cost of living for employees? 2100 is supposed to help us? Well actually 1000$ since other bonus has to be approved lol what a joke
The additional bonuses do NOT have to be approved. But an employee must attest to that fact that their assignment during the pandemic did require them to come within six feet of a co-worker or member of the public for at least 15 minutes on at least one occasion. Complete the form. No approval required.
This wasn’t the agreement we voted on! And applying for parts of the bonus was NOT told to us! The only determining factors were either you are a DHS or non- DHS employee, a full-time or part-time employee and if you teleworked or went into work during a certain time period. Not the bonus being broken up into 3 parts and you have to apply for 2 in order to get the full amount. The best scenario is that this is the art of deception to its fullest!
You do not have to apply. You just have to check a box on a form to attest to the fact that you came into work during the pandemic, and that your assignment required you to come within six feet of a co-worker or a member of the public for 15 minutes on at least one occasion. It is not an application. It’s just SEIU members self-selecting. Much better than leaving it up to management.
Many of us took on the work that was critical at work while others telecommuted full time. We believed that we deserved the bonus for our dedication to keep the county working and we voted for this six month contract just so that it could be stalled in the BOS hands? Did we tell the BOS to wait while we where hit with no choice, but to work to keep this county going? I have supported my union for over 20 years with no questions except for now. BOS Isn’t taking us seriously now, so I see trouble when the… Read more »
It is the Chief Executive Office and not the Board of Supervisors who have been slow at implementing the Agreement. Since August SEIU 721 has been doggedly pressing the CEO to expedite the process. The Board of Supervisors has now given final approval to the Agreement. The Auditer is currently processing payroll for the general $1000 bonus which will be issued with paychecks later this month. The $500 “Countywide COVID Appreciation” bonus and $650 “DHS Heroes” bonus require completion of self-attestation forms as well as a LACERA pensionability analysis. To expedite the latter, SEIU 721 has been successful at getting… Read more »