Teacher Assistants, After School Workers and others urge school board to ensure all employees have equal access to health care benefits
Los Angeles, CA — Classroom Teaching Assistants, After-School Program Workers, Playground Supervision Aides, Community Representatives and others who provide essential services to students and parents in the Los Angeles Unified School District will rally and address the school board today to urge the District to ensure that all employees have equal access to LAUSD’s health benefits plan.
Currently, there are nearly 7000 school workers who cannot access the health care benefits plan that all other employees enjoy either because it is unaffordable or they are completely excluded from the plan. Teacher Assistants are eligible but most forego benefits because the cost of single coverage can total nearly 20% of their salary and they must pay the entire cost of coverage for dependents. Out-of-School Program Workers who run after school activities with programs such as Beyond the Bell and L.A.’s Best are completely excluded from the District’s health plan.
“I love what I do,” said Bless Harrell, an Out-of-School Program Worker at Hooper Elementary School. “Every day, I inspire our students and spark their interest in learning. But despite my dedication to students, I am among the only District employees who can’t access the health care benefits that everyone else enjoys. I require special cancer screenings due to my family history. I wish every day for the kind of quality, affordable health insurance that all other LAUSD employees have. I need it. Badly.”
School workers are also concerned about how lack of access to quality health care impacts students. They work directly with students in classrooms, playgrounds and gyms every day. “When they have to think twice before going to a doctor when they don’t feel well, it has a direct impact on the health and stability of our schools,” said Max Arias, Executive Director of SEIU Local 99.
Many workers without access to the same benefits enjoyed by their colleagues are also parents of students in LAUSD schools. “By extending benefits to all employees, working parents will be able to provide their children with the care they need and not have to deny them medication or a doctor’s visit because the family just cannot afford it,” said Max Arias.
“This is about justice and equity for working families in our communities,” said Max Arias. “This is about recognizing that for children to be successful in school we must address their needs inside and outside the classroom – and that includes doing everything we can to create healthy and stable learning environments for them.”
Teacher Assistants, After-School Workers and other impacted employees are currently negotiating with LAUSD to ensure equal access to health care benefits.
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SEIU Local 99 represents employees throughout Southern California in public and non-public organizations in early education, child care, K-12, and community college levels, including nearly 30,000 Teacher’s Assistants, Playground Workers, Special Education Assistants, Bus Drivers, Gardeners, Custodians, Cafeteria Workers, and Maintenance Workers at LAUSD. Nearly 50% of SEIU Local 99 members are also parents or guardians of school-aged children.
