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American Rescue Plan: What’s in it for You?

To: OAPSE Members
From: OAPSE Executive Director Joe Rugola
Date: March 11, 2021
Re: American Rescue Plan: What’s In It For You?
In a huge deal for OAPSE members and all families, Congress has passed and President Biden will sign the American Rescue Plan, which will put money in the pockets of families; continue enhanced unemployment benefits; provide financial assistance to schools; boost state and local government budgets; increase child care benefits; help with student loan debt; and provide a host of other benefits for low-income and middle-class workers.
OAPSE and AFSCME International pushed the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate to pass the legislation, which President Biden championed throughout his campaign. It is overwhelmingly popular with Americans because it is so inclusive and provides much needed relief to millions of families impacted by the global health pandemic. The sweeping legislation addresses not only the health crisis but the economic crisis it has caused.
Every one of the public service institutions we represent – our schools, county boards of developmental disabilities, libraries, head start agencies and community colleges – will benefit in critical ways from the American Rescue Plan. This legislation gives us the chance to make up lost ground for the children and the public our members work so hard to help.
It also recognizes that our members’ jobs and pay security are an essential part of these critical services.
We are grateful to President Biden for having the vision and the guts to push this life-saving and job-saving legislation through the Congress.
So, what’s in the American Rescue Plan and how will it impact you and your family? Here are a few highlights.
  • $1,400 checks for single adults with adjusted gross incomes of $75,000 or less and for married couples with adjusted gross incomes of $150,000. You will also receive $1,400 per dependent. You can figure out the amount you will receive by using this calculator from the Washington Post.
  • Enhanced unemployment benefits will continue through September. So, if you or a family member has experienced unemployment, you will continue to receive an additional $300 per week on top of your base unemployment amount.
  • A child tax credit which would provide $3,000 per year for children ages 6 to 17 and $3,600 for children under 6. The amount is gradually reduced for individuals earning over $75,000 and couples making over $150,000. Beginning in July, families will get checks or direct deposits. When you file your taxes for 2021, you will get the remainder of the credit. The benefit is for one year only, but leaders in Congress are pushing to make it permanent because together with other programs in the ARP, it will cut child poverty in half.
  • Nearly $130 billion in money for schools to help with things like improved air filtration, PPP and other items that will allow school buildings to open at full capacity.
  • $350 billion in state and local government aid. This money will help balance budgets devastated by the decrease in taxes collected because workers were laid off.
  • Billions to help more people get tested for COVID and get vaccinated. GET YOUR VACCINE when you are eligible!
  • Rental and home energy assistance for low-income families and older Americans impacted by eviction threats and utility shut-offs.
  • Much-needed assistance for joint labor and employer private-sector pension plans. Many OAPSE members, who previously worked in the private sector, and family members participate in these pension plans, which were in danger of going broke in the next four years. U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown has pushed for this legislation for years and was instrumental in its passage.
“The American Rescue Plan is a really big deal. It will make a huge difference in the lives of OAPSE members in so many ways. Our union strongly supported this because we need this to get back to school, get our local government services back to their full capacity, and get back to a ‘normal’ life. We will continue to update you on the important developments about this legislation and how we will keep fighting to keep you safe and your jobs secure,” said OAPSE State President Lois Carson.
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Paving the Way

As we close out the month of February and Black History Month and look toward March and the recognition of women through Women’s History Month, we can look to African Americans and women in the labor movement to see their impact on improving the lives of workers and families. They paved the way for leaders in OAPSE to fight for and win job security, strong wages and benefits, pensions and health and safety standards that have saved lives.

Take a look at the links below to find out more about how organized labor has been influenced by people of color and women who advocated to uplift all workers.

https://www.afscme.org/blog/black-history-month-bill-lucy-remembers-68-strike

https://racial-justice.aflcio.org/blog/est-aliquid-se-ipsum-flagitiosum-etiamsi-nulla

https://www.lib.umd.edu/unions/social/womens-rights

https://www.ufcw.org/womenshistorymonth/

https://www.chicagohistory.org/bscp/

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Alert! What to do if Identity Theft Hits You

To: OAPSE Members
From: Executive Joe Rugola
Date: February 22, 2021
Re: Identity Theft on the Rise in Ohio — What to Do if it hits You!

Tens of thousands of Ohioans — including OAPSE members and staff — have been impacted by a new scheme to defraud the Ohio Department of Jobs and Family Services and the unemployment benefit system. This is serious, but there are steps you can take to protect your credit and stop the thieves from getting benefits.

I asked OAPSE General Counsel Robert Walter to put together recommendations for what to do if you are impacted by the unemployment fraud. See his thoughts below. Please share widely with coworkers, friends and family.

And, as always, stay safe and well.

UNEMPLOYMENT FRAUD IN OHIO

News agencies have reported that fraudulent claims for unemployment are being filed at an alarming rate. It is so widespread that fraudulent claims are reported to have been filed in the names of the Governor and his wife and the Lieutenant Governor.

Below are links to an article in the Columbus Dispatch and stories on WKYC.

 

Members need to be aware that their identities can be stolen. For example, a member may receive a form indicating that he or she filed for unemployment when the member did not. That form may contain the member’s social security number or a temporary PIN to access the claim. A member may receive a 1099-G tax form stating that the member received unemployment when the member did not.

If a member believes his or her information has been used to file a fraudulent claim, that should be reported to the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services at unemployment.ohio.gov or call the Department’s toll free number (833) 658-0394 (8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday).

Separate from reporting identity theft to the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, members can check their own credit report to see if fraudulent activity exists.

According to the Federal Trade Commission website (www.ftc.gov) individuals are entitled to one free copy of the individual’s credit report every twelve months from each of the three nationwide credit reporting companies (Equifax: 800-525-6285 or www.equifax.com; Experian: 888-397-3742 or www.experian.com ; TransUnion: 800-680-7289 or www.transunion.com). The FTC website states the individual can order the reports online from annualcreditreport.com, the only authorized website for free credit reports, or call 1-877-322-8228. Individuals will need to provide their name, address, social security number, and date of birth to verify identity. Also, through April 2021, everyone in the U.S. can get a free credit report each week from all three national credit reporting agencies (Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion) at annualcreditreport.com.

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Update from Executive Director Joe Rugola

SCROLL DOWN FOR A VIDEO MESSAGE FROM EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR JOE RUGOLA

To: OAPSE Members

From: Executive Joe Rugola

Date: February 10, 2021

Re: COVID Update

It has been almost a year since Governor Mike DeWine declared a state health emergency and closed our school buildings, libraries, Head Start agencies and other public institutions where OAPSE members work.

Since March, our union has been fighting to keep you keep safe when you returned to work and to ensure your job security, wages and benefits. We have been working with individual employers to make sure contract language is followed. And we’ve been to court when a few school districts have violated not only our contracts but state law. In fact, just a month age, OAPSE won the reinstatement of 209 employees at Willoughby-Eastlake City Schools when the superintendent tried to lay them off and strip them of health insurance right before the holidays. We won in court, but that case continues because the superintendent is up to his old tricks and has filed an appeal.  But we will stand with those members of locals 159 and 163 until the case is resolved in their favor.

At a broader level, our union continues to push for passage of the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan put forth by President Joe Biden to fund states, local governments and schools, among other priorities.

OAPSE supports the plan as a starting point for Congress to put together a serious economic recovery package that includes flexible aid to state and local governments, education funding, public transit funding, increased unemployment benefits, direct cash payments, and funding for testing, contact tracing, vaccine distribution and PPE to wipe out the virus.

Front-line workers like our bus drivers, bus aides, food service workers, secretaries, librarians, educational assistants, custodians, maintenance employees, nurses and childcare providers have been working throughout the pandemic to keep communities safe and healthy. Now is not the time to withhold or restrict needed spending or cut essential workers. We need to pass the American Rescue Plan to help Americans who are suffering, to stimulate economic recovery, and to make sure OAPSE members can continue to do their jobs.

Congress still has to write the legislation, and we will keep you posted when the measures are introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate.

Until then, the OAPSE Executive Board, district and local leadership and staff will continue the fight to keep our members safe and to keep you working and getting your wages and benefits.

I look forward to seeing you all in person someday soon!

Stay safe and God bless.

 

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Updates on Licensure, Vaccines and Willoughby-Eastlake

To: OAPSE Members

From: Executive Director Joe Rugola

Re: Member Update

Date: January 25, 2021

Greetings and Happy New Year to OAPSE members across the state. With the holiday season behind us and school back in session in some form – remote, hybrid or in-person, this member update celebrates a big win for our members in Willoughby-Eastlake City Schools, updates you on state licensure requirements and provides the latest information about the state’s vaccination program for school employees.

Willoughby-Eastlake City Schools

We continue to celebrate our historic court victory that assures our members of locals 159 and 163 will continue to receive their regular pay and benefits during the pandemic. OAPSE won a preliminary injunction that put 209 custodians, maintenance workers and food service employees back to work after the Willoughby-Eastlake administration laid them off and canceled their insurance just before Christmas.

Unfortunately, the employer has appealed the judge’s ruling, so we will be back in court fighting for the members of locals 159 and 163. And we will continue to prepare for more legal battles to come. We will not let up in our fight to protect the jobs, pay and benefits of every OAPSE member in Willoughby-Eastlake or anywhere in Ohio.

One-Year Temporary Non-Bachelor’s Substitute Teaching Licenses 

OAPSE members who are interested in substitute teaching should know that the Ohio Department of Education has temporarily changed the requirements to qualify as a substitute teacher and has issued the following information:

The ODE understands the COVID-19 pandemic situation has increased the need for substitute teachers to help schools and districts remain open. In response, the Department has been granted the authority (HB 409 of the 133rd General Assembly; Section (3)) to issue a one-time non-renewable one-year temporary non-bachelor’s substitute teaching license for the 2020-2021 school year. An eligible applicant who does not hold a postsecondary degree must meet the employing school or district’s set of education requirements.  

One-year temporary non-bachelor’s substitute teaching licenses now are available at the request of the employing school or district. These licenses are valid for teaching in an assigned class of any subject area and grade level in the employing school district for the remainder of the 2020-2021 school year. Applicants must have current background checks on file with the Department. Please see the Background Check FAQs webpage for more information. The flexibility provided in HB 409 is available only for the 2020-2021 school year. Following the 2020-2021 school year, educators will be held to the same substitute teaching licensure requirements that existed prior to HB 409. 

Deadlines for T-8 Physicals

Most deadlines for educational licensures were extended until July 1, 2021, because of the health pandemic. However, the deadline for T-8 physicals required for CDL licensure has not been extended. That deadline was December 1, 2020. You should complete your physical and have your T-8 physical form on file with your employer as soon as possible.

COVID-19 Vaccinations

OAPSE has continued to work with Governor Mike DeWine and the Ohio Department of Education on how the COVID-19 pandemic impacts our members across Ohio. That communication includes guidance about COVID-19 vaccinations for school employees. As you know, school employees will be eligible for the COVID-19 vaccination beginning February 1, 2021. OAPSE is encouraging our members to get the vaccination at their first opportunity.

School districts are receiving information about vaccinations from the Ohio Educational Service Center (ESC). The ESC released the following about what school employees can expect regarding vaccinations:

As Ohio prepares to begin administration of COVID-19 vaccines to eligible school staff members, some details are still being developed and will be communicated once they are available. In the meantime, school staff members should bear in mind the following parts of the plan that have been established conclusively:

  1. School staff should not call local pharmacies or health care providers for instructions. Rather, eligible school staff members should expect to receive detailed instructions about next steps from their school or district leadership.
  2. In some cases, the registered vaccine administration partner will come to a school on a designated date and time. In other cases, staff may need to visit a specific central location in person to receive the vaccination. Details on specific operations for each school will come from school or district leadership. In either scenario, school staff vaccine clinics will be dedicated solely to school staff members. This means school staff members and members of the general public will not be competing with one another in order to receive their vaccine.
  3. Please anticipate that information and instructions about vaccination administration plans will flow through the ESCs, to the schools and on to staff members.

Of course, the plan to vaccinate depends upon having enough doses on hand.  The state and school districts are at the mercy of vaccine availability but are working to provide vaccines as quickly as possible. And we anticipate some hiccups as the system is implemented to vaccinate tens of thousands of school employees. So if you are not getting timely information from your employer, contact your field representative, and we will work to get your questions answered.

We will continue to update you as information becomes available about any of these topics and others that impact the lives of OAPSE members.

Stay safe and God bless.