As you work the front lines, you are, as always, helping in invaluable ways to keep our community healthy and strong. Your commitment to what you do is as meaningful as ever. Thank you.
However, each of us is also facing new personal hardships. Below is a current roundup of resources that may help you and your family now.
Unemployment Resources
In response to the COVID-19 crisis, Massachusetts has expanded Unemployment Insurance Benefits. These benefits now extend to workers who have been isolated and quarantined, those who must be home to care for children as a result of school and daycare closures, and who must stop work due to “reasonable risk of exposure.”
Mass.gov: The official unemployment site for Massachusetts states “You should apply for unemployment benefits during your first week of total or partial unemployment. Most claims are processed within 21-28 days after filing. It may take longer if there is an issue with your claim.”
Changes to Unemployment Insurance, explained.
How to apply: UFCW Local Union 328 has developed this handy step-by-step guide.
Federal Stimulus Checks
Last week, the Federal Government passed historic legislation to provide economic relief in response to COVID-19. Some key provisions of this 2 trillion dollar aid package developed are designed to help small- to mid-sized businesses, and don’t apply to UMass Memorial. However, stimulus checks are being delivered directly to qualified US residents and Americans living abroad. Here’s some things to know.
The New York Times provides this FAQ about the Coronavirus Stimulus Checks, Unemployment, and the National Coronavirus Plan
You can estimate the amount of your own check using this Stimulus Check Calculator from the Washington Post.
More Ways to Find Help
As a SHARE union member, you’re linked to a broad network of resources. Our grassroots union at UMass Memorial Hospital, SHARE, is AFSCME Local #3900, a member organization of the AFL-CIO.
Hardship help is also available to union members at unionplus.org. This includes legal help, mortgage assistance, a medical bill negotiating assistance, and more.
Community Health, developed in partnership with UMass Memorial, provides a searchable database of food delivery, job training, and other services centered in Central Massachusetts.
Helpsteps also connects individuals to local health and human resources to alleviate disparities in health and social well-being in Massachusetts communities. Although the program was developed to provide resources to the greater Boston area, it has expanded to provide links to services throughout the state through Mass 211, including financial assistance, legal aid, food, mental health, addiction, education, elder care, and more.
you can Help your union to Help Others
We’ll continue to round up links to services that could potentially aid you and your family. Sharing information helps keep our union strong. If you learn something useful from your experience with any of these services that we can help pass along to other members, please tell your area SHARE organizer, or give us a call (508-929-4020) and tell us your story.
Keeping Up-To-Date
The SHARE staff is working to keep up with news and information as it becomes available. For the latest, please see the news feed on the SHARE homepage, or follow the official @sharehospitalu1 and SHARE Organizer @sharekirk on Twitter.