Just in time for the holidays – and just one week from today – we’ll get our first $1,000 SEIU 721 Heroes Pay bonus in our Nov. 30 paycheck!
We should receive this bonus payment as long as we are permanent, full-time employees who were employed by July 1, 2021 and we remained employed at the time the bonus is issued.
Remember: There are three ADDITIONAL bonuses we may qualify for! We would receive these bonuses in our December paychecks.
Be sure to submit the required Self-Attestation Forms to get these bonuses … especially since the forms are due by Wed., Nov. 24!
THREE ADDITIONAL BONUSES
$500 Countywide “COVID Appreciation” Bonus: To qualify, we must be permanent, full-time employees who worked at “elevated risk,” which is defined as a job duty that required us to be within six feet of a co-worker, patient or member of the general public for a period of at least 15 minutes on at least one occasion during the pandemic. Also, we must have been employed by July 1, 2020 and remained employed at the time the bonuses are issued.
NOTE: To get the extra $500 Countywide “COVID Appreciation” Bonus, we must fill out a brief self-attestation form that should be submitted as soon as possible.
To start the process, using a county computer, CLICK HERE.
$150 DHS Bonus: To qualify, we must be permanent, full-time employees who were employed by the Department of Health Services from March 1, 2020 through June 30, 2021 and who remained employed by DHS at the time the bonuses are issued.
$500 DHS “Heroes” Bonus: To qualify, we must have worked at “elevated risk” for the Department of Health Services from March 1, 2020 through June 30, 2021; and remained employed by DHS at the time the bonuses are issued. “Elevated risk” is defined as a job duty that required us to be within six feet of a co-worker, patient or member of the general public for a period of at least 15 minutes on at least one occasion during the pandemic.
NOTE: self-attestATION formS ARE due by Wed., Nov. 24, 2021.
to start the process, using a county computer, CLICK HERE.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Question #1: Why do we have to fill out Self-Attestation Forms?
Answer #1: Self-attestation is the simplest way for SEIU members to claim bonuses are available for employees who meet basic eligibility criteria.
Question #2: Why are only DHS employees eligible for the extra $150 DHS Bonus and the $500 DHS “Heroes” Bonus?
Answer #2: Only DHS employees can qualify for the $150 DHS Bonus and the $500 DHS “Heroes” Bonus because those dollars are paid out of Provider Relief Fund moneys received by the Department of Health Services in the original federal CARES Act. It does not allow for expenditures outside of DHS.
Question #3: Where can I access the first Self-Attestation Form to apply for the $500 Countywide “COVID Appreciation” Bonus?
Answer #3: Using a county computer, log on to mylacounty.gov. Click on ‘eFORMS’. The form will be found under the “Countywide” tile.
Question #4: Where can I access the second Self-Attestation Form to apply for the $150 DHS Bonus and/or the $500 DHS “Heroes” Bonus?
Answer #4: Using a county computer, log on to mylacounty.gov. Click on ‘eFORMS’. The form will be found under the “Countywide” tile after DHS employees complete the first Self-Attestation Form.
Question #5: Do part-time employees qualify for any bonuses?
Answer #5: Part-time employees qualify for 50% of the $1,000 General Bonus if we worked an average of at least 20 hours per week. But if we are part-time employees, we also qualify for the entire $500 Countywide “COVID Appreciation” Bonus if we worked an average of 20 hours per week. Be sure to fill out the Self-Attestation Form to get it. (See “Answer #3” above.) Part-time DHS employees who worked an average of at least 20 hours per week can also qualify for 50% of the “DHS Bonus” ($75) and 50% of the “DHS Heroes” Bonus ($250).
Question #6: Why don’t people qualify for bonuses who worked during some part of July 1, 202 through November 2, 2021 but who are now retired or who left LA County service during that time period?
Answer #6: LA County has a long-standing policy of not paying people after they leave county service. In the past, even when we negotiated retroactive salary increases that had effective dates prior to an employee’s separation, the county still did not compensate them.
Question #7: Do contract employees qualify for these bonuses?
Answer #7: No, contract employees are not covered by the SEIU 721 Bargaining Agreement.
Question #8: What can I do if I made an error on my Self-Attestation Form?
Answer #8: SEIU Local 721 members who made errors on their original Self-Attestation Forms will have an opportunity to make online corrections from January 1 through January 15, 2022.
Question #9: What about employees on leave who do not have access to a County computer? How do we claim our bonuses?
Answer #9: Employees who do not have access to a County computer can fill out a printed Self-Attestation Form, which is available from Department of Human Resources offices.
Do I qualify for this?
The details in the article should give you a good idea of whether you qualify. If you have further questions, you can always contact your union steward or call SEIU 721 Member Connection at (877) 721-4YOU.
I Retired in april of 2021.I was working 3/2020 true 3/2021so I think I’m entitled to that bonus.i was paying on the union
The County has a long-standing policy – they don’t compensate an employee after the employee leaves service.
What is going to happen if you are on vacation and the due date is 11/24
Employees will have an opportunity to submit Self-Attestation forms after November 24, but will not receive the bonus in December.
So does that mean we should be getting the other 3 bonuses on the December 15th check?
The additional bonuses will be issued in December – possibly with the December 15 payroll, but (based on the Auditor’s track record) more likely on the December 30 paychecks.
Are Court employees also going to get the bonus for the Nov 30 paycheck?
Seems like we are excluded, but our votes weren’t exclude.
Court employees are covered by and voted on the SEIU 721/Los Angeles County Fringe Benefits Agreement, but the bonuses are not a Fringe Benefits item. Court employee salaries (including bonuses) are negotiated with and paid by the Superior Court, not Los Angeles County. The bonuses were negotiated as part of a six-month unit contract extension that only applies to employees who are in Los Angeles County bargaining units. However, there is good news for Court employees. Contract bargaining is underway for everyone in Legal Processing (BU 860) and Supervisors (BU 867). Our union intends to bargain for salary increases and… Read more »
Will this be a seperate check or in our November 30th paycheck?
The first $1000 bonus will be part of the November 30 paychecks, not issued as a separate check. If the County had issued the bonus in a separate check, they would have withheld a fixed % of taxes. This might be a short-term advantage for some employees who claim few or no dependents, but it would be a short-term tax disadvantage for those members who reduce their tax withholding by claiming at least several dependents. Whether the bonus is included in a regular paycheck or issued as a separate check has no bearing on how much taxes are ultimately paid,… Read more »
i was told i was getting $1000 not $600
All compensation, whether it is a bonus or an ongoing percentage increase, is subject to taxation. There’s no way of avoiding that. When we negotiate percentage increases- for example a 3% raise – we don’t refer to it as a “3% increase minus taxes”, because it is understood that our salaries are always subject to taxation. Neither the union nor the County have any control over tax rates. The first $1000 bonus will be part of the November 30 paychecks, not issued as a separate check. If the County had issued the bonus in a separate check, they would have… Read more »
It sucks they will deduct taxes from the bonus …what’s the point!? Really disappointed
All compensation, whether it is a bonus or an ongoing percentage increase, is subject to taxation. There’s no way of avoiding that. When we negotiate percentage increases- for example a 3% raise – we don’t refer to it as a “3% increase minus taxes”, because it is understood that our salaries are always subject to taxation.
Neither the union nor the County have any control over tax rates.
I take it Los Angeles city employees don’t qualify for this…
No — LA City employees do not qualify since the Heroes Pay bonuses were negotiated for LA County employees by the LA County bargaining committee during the last round of contract negotiations.