Employer News - Fall 2011

1199SEIU Funds 330 West 42nd Street New York, NY 10036-6977 www.1199SEIUFunds.org

Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage PAID New York, NY Permit No. 3700

Employer

ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED

Fall 2011

In this issue

FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS

1199SEIU/Employer Child Care Corporation’s Fifth Annual “Care for Kids” Awards Gala Is Set for December

2

Apply Now for Worksite Wellness Funding

2

Reminder: Providing the Fund with COBRA Qualifying Event Notices

The 1199SEIU/Employer Child Care Corporation will host its fifth annual “Care for Kids” Awards Gala in New York City on December 5, 2011, from 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm in the Hudson Theatre at the Millennium Broadway Hotel in Times Square.

3

Training and Employment Funds’ Learning Collaborative Takes Off

3

Training and Employment Funds Apply for Critical HCRA Grants

The gala raises funds to support Child Care Corporation programs, which benefit low-income families in the communities that our institutions serve – families who lack access to affordable, collectively bargained child care benefits.

Programs include the Future of America Learning Center, which provides a high-quality early childhood education to 1199SEIU children and children of the larger community.

The Corporation’s multicultural curricula ensure academic and developmental growth, proper guidance and direction for children from infancy to adulthood, including infant and preschool care, summer camp, college preparation, mentorship and scholarship programs. The gala also aids the Child Care Corporation in grooming a new generation of healthcare workers who will deliver quality care in our institutions.

4

1199SEIU/Employer Child Care Corporation’s Fifth Annual “Care for Kids” Awards Gala Is Set for December

Each year, the “Care for Kids” Awards Gala honors both individuals and organizations whose work represents a commitment to enriching the lives of children and families in need. This year, the gala chair is Carla Harris, Managing Director of Morgan Stanley Investment Management and board chair of the Morgan Stanley Foundation. As our corporate sponsor, Morgan Stanley will receive the Corporate Social Responsibility award. Previous recipients of the Corporate Social Responsibility Award include Pfizer, Commerce Bank and TD Bank.

For more information on the “Care for Kids” Awards Gala, please call (212) 564-2220.

Carla Harris is the 2011 “Care for Kids” gala chair.

Carla’s commitment to children and community is extraordinary. Each year, she and her Foundation contribute financial support to make a difference in the lives of children and youth. In addition to her accomplished career at Morgan Stanley, Ms. Harris is a guest lecturer, author and a director on the boards of eight non-profit organizations. Every year, Ms. Harris, also a renowned gospel singer, performs to sold-out crowds at Carnegie Hall to raise hundreds of thousands of dollars for a variety of causes close to her heart.

There has been a lot of activity in the National Benefit Fund in recent months. As we told you in the last issue of 1199SEIU Funds Employer News, the Union-Management-Fund Wellness Advisory Committee has been meeting to support worksite collaboration that will promote better health for your 1199SEIU employees. In this issue, we encourage you to submit a proposal for incentive money to inspire your employees to participate in wellness programs at your institution.We also tell you about an innovative learning collaborative that our Training and Employment Funds In this issue, we have launched in 15 nursing homes to improve patient care and employee encourage you to morale as well as maximize submit a proposal for reimbursement. In addition, you will hear about a Health Care Reform Act grant that the Training incentive money to and Employment Funds have applied inspire your employees for to help bridge the gap for many institutions facing training challenges.

Finally, we ask you to save the date to participate in for another exciting opportunity to support our Child Care wellness programs Corporation’s fifth annual “Care for Kids” Award Gala on December 5. at your institution.

We hope you enjoy this issue of your 1199SEIU Funds Employer News.

Sincerely,

Lutheran Medical Center recently ran their own Biggest Loser contest. Pictured is the winner, 1199 member, Cythia Perez

Mitra Behroozi Executive Director Benefit and Pension Funds

Deborah King Executive Director Training and Employment Funds

Vivian Fox Executive Director Child Care Funds

Apply Now for Worksite Wellness Funding In the last issue of 1199SEIU Funds Employer News, we told you about financial incentives that will be awarded as part of the collaborative effort between the Union, management and the National Benefit Fund to 10 institutions to develop joint labor-management initiatives to promote better health for your 1199SEIU employees. The UnionManagement-Fund Wellness Committee will award each institution $4,500 per year in incentive money – provided by a grant from our disease management and health coaching service – to encourage employee participation in wellness programs. A Request for Proposals was released at the end of July, and you have until the end of September to submit a proposal.

REMINDER: Providing the Fund with COBRA Qualifying Event Notices Under COBRA, your employees must be offered the right to continue their health benefits on a self-pay basis if they lose their coverage due to what is called a “qualifying event.” As the employer, you are responsible under the law to provide the Fund with the dates of these qualifying events within thirty (30) days of an event. Qualifying events may include: •

These cash incentives should be used to encourage your employees to participate in new wellness initiatives. The activities must promote healthy eating and fitness activities in the workplace, creating a culture of health throughout your worksite. The Committee will award the incentive prizes in early October. (We will announce the winning institutions in our winter issue of 1199SEIU Funds Employer News.) To apply for the funding, please contact your Union delegate or Outreach Coordinator.

If your institution chooses not to apply for the funding, there are many ways to help improve your employees’ health, such as by encouraging them to form walking groups or a weightloss competition or to take advantage of the Funds’ health coaching service, which provides one-on-one support to help them lose weight or quit smoking. You can also get involved in the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene’s Tobacco-Free Hospital Campaign and Healthy Hospital Food Initiative. Designed to enhance the health of your employees, patients and visitors, these free programs provide institutions with online tools that allow you to assess your policies and systems that assist employees and patients in quitting tobacco and eating healthier.You will then receive customized action plans and access to resources to help you implement them. For more information on the Tobacco-Free Hospital Campaign, contact Marie Bresnahan at mbresnahan@health.nyc.gov or (347) 396-4550. To find out more about the Healthy Hospital Food Initiative, contact Erica Krepp at ekrepp@health.nyc.gov or (347) 396-4325.

If you have any questions about the UnionManagement-Fund Wellness Advisory Committee Request for Proposals, please contact Kay Anderson, Director of Healthcare Reform Implementation, at (646) 473-6064 or Kay.Anderson@1199Funds.org.

2 EMPLOYER NEWS Fall 2011

An employee’s termination of employment from a bargaining unit position for any reason except gross misconduct;

•

An employee’s reduction in hours, which results in a loss of benefits due to a change in Wage Class;

•

An employee’s death; or

•

An employee’s extended leave of absence.

Qualifying event notices should include the member’s name, Social Security number, type of event and date of event and can be faxed to (646) 473-8820 or mailed to the 1199SEIU National Benefit Fund, 330 West 42nd Street, Eligibility Department, 19th Floor, New York, NY 10036, to the attention of Darryl Garrison, Director of Eligibility.

Family and Medical Leave and Other Leaves of Absence To allow for continuity of coverage for Fund participants, Family and Medical Leaves (FMLA) and other leaves of absence should be reported to the Fund in the same manner, including the length of the leave and your required contribution period during that time.You must continue making contributions on behalf of employees who are out on unpaid leave, as if the employee had continued on the payroll.

However, you do not need to make FMLA contributions for periods when the Benefit Fund already continues coverage without requiring additional contributions, such as when the unpaid leave is 45 days or less or when an unpaid leave runs concurrently with a disability leave.

Training and Employment Funds’ Learning Collaborative Takes Off In May, the Training and Employment Funds kicked off a new project with labor-management teams at 15 New York City-area nursing homes to improve resident care, enhance the employee experience and maximize reimbursement. The two-day kick-off meeting provided attendees with an introduction to the Minimum Data Set 3.0 (MDS 3.0), an updated, standardized assessment tool used by all Medicare-certified nursing and post-acute facilities in the United States. In addition, attendees received some welldeserved morale boosting and instruction from esteemed leaders in the long-term care field.

Endorsed by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and the Pioneer Network, this endeavor will be closely watched. Similar learning collaboratives will be carried out across the country based upon the experience and results of this pilot.

Training and Employment Funds Apply for Critical HCRA Grants The long-awaited request for proposals (RFP) for the $28.4 million Health Care Reform Act (HCRA) grant was released on July 1.The HCRA grants come at a critical time as institutions face increased training challenges due to healthcare reform implementation and staffing shortages.

In the past, the Funds have received as much as a third of available HCRA money. Prior to the RFP release, the Funds had already surveyed key institutions to determine training needs and then did additional outreach to employers in the weeks following the release to get additional input as we prepared our application. Proposals were due to the New York State Department of Health by September 16.

Fall 2011 EMPLOYER NEWS 3

Apply Now for Worksite Wellness Funding In the last issue of 1199SEIU Funds Employer News, we told you about financial incentives that will be awarded as part of the collaborative effort between the Union, management and the National Benefit Fund to 10 institutions to develop joint labor-management initiatives to promote better health for your 1199SEIU employees. The UnionManagement-Fund Wellness Committee will award each institution $4,500 per year in incentive money – provided by a grant from our disease management and health coaching service – to encourage employee participation in wellness programs. A Request for Proposals was released at the end of July, and you have until the end of September to submit a proposal.

REMINDER: Providing the Fund with COBRA Qualifying Event Notices Under COBRA, your employees must be offered the right to continue their health benefits on a self-pay basis if they lose their coverage due to what is called a “qualifying event.” As the employer, you are responsible under the law to provide the Fund with the dates of these qualifying events within thirty (30) days of an event. Qualifying events may include: •

These cash incentives should be used to encourage your employees to participate in new wellness initiatives. The activities must promote healthy eating and fitness activities in the workplace, creating a culture of health throughout your worksite. The Committee will award the incentive prizes in early October. (We will announce the winning institutions in our winter issue of 1199SEIU Funds Employer News.) To apply for the funding, please contact your Union delegate or Outreach Coordinator.

If your institution chooses not to apply for the funding, there are many ways to help improve your employees’ health, such as by encouraging them to form walking groups or a weightloss competition or to take advantage of the Funds’ health coaching service, which provides one-on-one support to help them lose weight or quit smoking. You can also get involved in the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene’s Tobacco-Free Hospital Campaign and Healthy Hospital Food Initiative. Designed to enhance the health of your employees, patients and visitors, these free programs provide institutions with online tools that allow you to assess your policies and systems that assist employees and patients in quitting tobacco and eating healthier.You will then receive customized action plans and access to resources to help you implement them. For more information on the Tobacco-Free Hospital Campaign, contact Marie Bresnahan at mbresnahan@health.nyc.gov or (347) 396-4550. To find out more about the Healthy Hospital Food Initiative, contact Erica Krepp at ekrepp@health.nyc.gov or (347) 396-4325.

If you have any questions about the UnionManagement-Fund Wellness Advisory Committee Request for Proposals, please contact Kay Anderson, Director of Healthcare Reform Implementation, at (646) 473-6064 or Kay.Anderson@1199Funds.org.

2 EMPLOYER NEWS Fall 2011

An employee’s termination of employment from a bargaining unit position for any reason except gross misconduct;

•

An employee’s reduction in hours, which results in a loss of benefits due to a change in Wage Class;

•

An employee’s death; or

•

An employee’s extended leave of absence.

Qualifying event notices should include the member’s name, Social Security number, type of event and date of event and can be faxed to (646) 473-8820 or mailed to the 1199SEIU National Benefit Fund, 330 West 42nd Street, Eligibility Department, 19th Floor, New York, NY 10036, to the attention of Darryl Garrison, Director of Eligibility.

Family and Medical Leave and Other Leaves of Absence To allow for continuity of coverage for Fund participants, Family and Medical Leaves (FMLA) and other leaves of absence should be reported to the Fund in the same manner, including the length of the leave and your required contribution period during that time.You must continue making contributions on behalf of employees who are out on unpaid leave, as if the employee had continued on the payroll.

However, you do not need to make FMLA contributions for periods when the Benefit Fund already continues coverage without requiring additional contributions, such as when the unpaid leave is 45 days or less or when an unpaid leave runs concurrently with a disability leave.

Training and Employment Funds’ Learning Collaborative Takes Off In May, the Training and Employment Funds kicked off a new project with labor-management teams at 15 New York City-area nursing homes to improve resident care, enhance the employee experience and maximize reimbursement. The two-day kick-off meeting provided attendees with an introduction to the Minimum Data Set 3.0 (MDS 3.0), an updated, standardized assessment tool used by all Medicare-certified nursing and post-acute facilities in the United States. In addition, attendees received some welldeserved morale boosting and instruction from esteemed leaders in the long-term care field.

Endorsed by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and the Pioneer Network, this endeavor will be closely watched. Similar learning collaboratives will be carried out across the country based upon the experience and results of this pilot.

Training and Employment Funds Apply for Critical HCRA Grants The long-awaited request for proposals (RFP) for the $28.4 million Health Care Reform Act (HCRA) grant was released on July 1.The HCRA grants come at a critical time as institutions face increased training challenges due to healthcare reform implementation and staffing shortages.

In the past, the Funds have received as much as a third of available HCRA money. Prior to the RFP release, the Funds had already surveyed key institutions to determine training needs and then did additional outreach to employers in the weeks following the release to get additional input as we prepared our application. Proposals were due to the New York State Department of Health by September 16.

Fall 2011 EMPLOYER NEWS 3

1199SEIU Funds 330 West 42nd Street New York, NY 10036-6977 www.1199SEIUFunds.org

Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage PAID New York, NY Permit No. 3700

Employer

ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED

Fall 2011

In this issue

FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS

1199SEIU/Employer Child Care Corporation’s Fifth Annual “Care for Kids” Awards Gala Is Set for December

2

Apply Now for Worksite Wellness Funding

2

Reminder: Providing the Fund with COBRA Qualifying Event Notices

The 1199SEIU/Employer Child Care Corporation will host its fifth annual “Care for Kids” Awards Gala in New York City on December 5, 2011, from 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm in the Hudson Theatre at the Millennium Broadway Hotel in Times Square.

3

Training and Employment Funds’ Learning Collaborative Takes Off

3

Training and Employment Funds Apply for Critical HCRA Grants

The gala raises funds to support Child Care Corporation programs, which benefit low-income families in the communities that our institutions serve – families who lack access to affordable, collectively bargained child care benefits.

Programs include the Future of America Learning Center, which provides a high-quality early childhood education to 1199SEIU children and children of the larger community.

The Corporation’s multicultural curricula ensure academic and developmental growth, proper guidance and direction for children from infancy to adulthood, including infant and preschool care, summer camp, college preparation, mentorship and scholarship programs. The gala also aids the Child Care Corporation in grooming a new generation of healthcare workers who will deliver quality care in our institutions.

4

1199SEIU/Employer Child Care Corporation’s Fifth Annual “Care for Kids” Awards Gala Is Set for December

Each year, the “Care for Kids” Awards Gala honors both individuals and organizations whose work represents a commitment to enriching the lives of children and families in need. This year, the gala chair is Carla Harris, Managing Director of Morgan Stanley Investment Management and board chair of the Morgan Stanley Foundation. As our corporate sponsor, Morgan Stanley will receive the Corporate Social Responsibility award. Previous recipients of the Corporate Social Responsibility Award include Pfizer, Commerce Bank and TD Bank.

For more information on the “Care for Kids” Awards Gala, please call (212) 564-2220.

Carla Harris is the 2011 “Care for Kids” gala chair.

Ms. Harris’ commitment to children and community is extraordinary. Each year, she and her Foundation contribute financial support to make a difference in the lives of children and youth. In addition to her accomplished career at Morgan Stanley, Ms. Harris is a guest lecturer, author and a director on the boards of eight non-profit organizations. Every year, Ms. Harris, also a renowned gospel singer, performs to sold-out crowds at Carnegie Hall to raise hundreds of thousands of dollars for a variety of causes close to her heart.

There has been a lot of activity in the National Benefit Fund in recent months. As we told you in the last issue of 1199SEIU Funds Employer News, the Union-Management-Fund Wellness Advisory Committee has been meeting to support worksite collaboration that will promote better health for your 1199SEIU employees. In this issue, we encourage you to submit a proposal for incentive money to inspire your employees to participate in wellness programs at your institution.We also tell you about an innovative learning collaborative that our Training and Employment Funds In this issue, we have launched in 15 nursing homes to improve patient care and employee encourage you to morale as well as maximize submit a proposal for reimbursement. In addition, you will hear about a Health Care Reform Act grant that the Training incentive money to and Employment Funds have applied inspire your employees for to help bridge the gap for many institutions facing training challenges.

Finally, we ask you to save the date to participate in for another exciting opportunity to support our Child Care wellness programs Corporation’s fifth annual “Care for Kids” Award Gala on December 5. at your institution.

We hope you enjoy this issue of your 1199SEIU Funds Employer News.

Sincerely,

Lutheran Medical Center recently ran their own Biggest Loser contest. Pictured is the winner, 1199 member, Cythia Perez

Mitra Behroozi Executive Director Benefit and Pension Funds

Deborah King Executive Director Training and Employment Funds

Vivian Fox Executive Director Child Care Funds