EW II SETTLEMENT FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What is the EW II settlement for?
In 2013, our union filed a group grievance against LA County on behalf of EW II workers for performing EW III duties without the additional responsibilities bonus.
Between 2016 and 2017, our grievance went to arbitration where we fought with tooth and nail throughout multiple hearings.
In 2018, we won in arbitration and LA County was ordered to pay EW IIs who performed the additional responsibilities from 2004 onward.
Despite our arbitration victory, our union took LA County to LA Superior Court in 2019 to confirm and enforce the arbitration award.
Since 2019 we’ve fought LA County in the court to deliver monetary justice for EW IIs.
After 7 years of litigation, we were finally able to reach a settlement amount through mediation.
What is the settlement amount?
Through our tenacity, we locked in a $77 million settlement. According to publicly available data, our settlement is the largest public sector worker arbitration settlement in US history.
Who will receive compensation?
Most eligible DPSS EW IIs covered by the settlement will receive compensation. Individual eligibility and payment amounts will be based on eligible EW II service during the settlement period.
Simpluris, the independent settlement administrator, will calculate each eligible employee’s service credits and payment using county employment and payroll records.
How will the compensation be disbursed?
Our union selected Simpluris, an independent company that specializes in administering large settlement, to administer the settlement fund.
Simpluris will calculate individual allocations, provide notices to eligible employees, administer any correction process, make required tax withholdings and reporting, and issue settlement payments.
The settlement payment will not be issued as part of your regular LA County paycheck.
What’s my compensation amount?
The compensation varies by length of service, and the amount will be calculated by the 3rd party administrator.
We do not yet know the exact amount each eligible employee will receive. Payments will be calculated using a formula based on the eligible EW II service during the settlement period.
Simpluris will apply that formula using county employment and payroll data.
Because individual payments will depend on the total eligible service of everyone participating in the settlement, we will not know the final individual amounts until the employee data has been reviewed and the settlement administrator completes its calculations.
When will I receive my settlement portion?
We’re finalizing the agreement with the county and are still going through other court related proceedings.
In addition, SEIU 721 members still need to ratify the settlement agreement by November 9th before it goes to LA County’s Claims Board and is ultimately approved by the County Board of Supervisors.
We estimate payments to begin in 2027.
When and how can I get more info on my compensation amount?
We will share the Simpluris hotline number with SEIU 721 members once the final information becomes available.
They will calculate individual allocations, provide notices to eligible employees, and administer any corrections.
Is my settlement amount taxable?
Your portion is a form of income. So, like all income, your settlement portion will be taxed. This has always been the case with bonuses and salary increases.
Will I pay union dues on my settlement amount?
Yes. Our union dues played a pivotal role in leading us to this historic victory, and the 1.5% every dues-paying member contributes will guarantee that we continue defending every SEIU 721 member against other extremely serious challenges ahead of us.
Can I file a grievance over my settlement amount?
No. After a decade of legal proceedings, this is the end of the line.
The settlement will have its own process for correcting errors in an individual employee’s allocation amount rather than using the regular grievance procedure.
When can I vote on the settlement agreement?
Settlement agreement ratification starts on October 26th and ends on November 9th.
What happens if I vote no?
The settlement must be approved by a majority of members voting in order to move forward. If the settlement is not ratified, the proposed settlement will not take effect, and the $77 million settlement payment will not be made under this agreement.
The parties would return to the pending court proceedings. There is no guarantee that the county would make the same settlement offer again or that continued litigation would produce the same or better result.
If you vote online and in person, only your online vote will be counted.