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Personal Care Attendant Workforce Council
 

COVID-19 Resources for Consumer-Employers and PCAs

Updated January 5, 2021

The PCA Workforce Council has created a special COVID-19 section of its web page to provide important programmatic updates for Medicaid consumers self-directing their own care and the Personal Care Attendants (PCAs) that work for them.  This page is not intended to be an exhaustive resource page on COVID-19.  For the most comprehensive and up-to-date information related to COVID-19 and Connecticut’s response, please visit the official state COVID-19 Web page https://portal.ct.gov/Coronavirus. 

If you are fining yourself without a PCA due to COVID-19 please contact your Care Manager immediately.  If you are experiencing a true medical emergency contact 911.

 

NEWS AND UPDATES

Paid Leave Programs - *Updated January 4, 2021*

The federal government recently passed the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (Act).  The Act created two Paid Leave programs related to COVID 19:

  1. Paid Sick Leave - up to two weeks (80 hours) of Paid Time-Off.  This benefit is available to all PCAs no matter how long they have worked for an employer; and

     

  2. Expanded Family and Medical Leave (EFMLA) - up to 12 weeks off. This benefit is available to PCAs who have worked for an employer for at least 30 days.  The first two weeks of this expanded Family and Medical Leave are unpaid and the next 10 weeks are Paid Time-Off; However, these two benefits are designed so (1) and (2) can be taken TOGETHER to allow eligible PCAs to receive up to a maximum of 12 weeks of Paid Time off.  Eligible PCAs will have access to these benefits from April 1, 2020 - December 31, 2020.

UPDATE: On December 27, 2020 the Coronavirus Relief Bill was signed by the President.  Among other things, the Bill extends the Paid Leave programs through March 31, 2021.  The lifetime maximum benefit amounts remain the same, therefore, PCAs who exhausted their paid leave benefits prior to 12/31/20 are not entitled to additional benefits as a result of this extension. 

IMPORTANT: Paid Sick Leave and Expanded FMLA are paid for with additional federal funding and do not impact Individual Consumer-Employer budgets in any way.

 

PCAs may be eligible to use both programs.

 

For more information about the benefit amounts, eligibility criteria, application process and the rights of consumer-employers and PCAs please view the resources below. 

 

Please note: The Frequently Asked Questions documents will be updated as needed.

Frequently Asked Questions for Consumer-Employers

Frequently Asked Questions for PCAs

U.S. Department of Labor Paid Leave Poster     English             Spanish

Fiscal Intermediary Intake Forms to Apply for Paid Leave

Paid Sick Leave Intake Form

Paid Expanded Family and Medical Leave Intake Form

 

*NEW* Emergency Supports for Consumer-Employers During COVID-19 

During the COVID-19 Pandemic, DSS and DDS have established emergency procedures for:

  • Approval of PCA Overtime

  • Increasing Individual Budgets

  • Hiring New Staff

  • And more …

     For information on these new options and how to access them during the COVID-19 crisis, please review the memo below that pertains to the agency through which you receive services:

DSS - including all Consumer First Choice Recipients *Updated October 13, 2020*

DDS Self-Directed Programs

 

Moratorium on New Hire Orientation Requirement  - *Updated January 5, 2021 

 

The PCA Workforce Council and SEIU 1199NE puts the health and safety of consumer-employers and their Personal Care Attendants (PCAs) above all else.  Therefore, in light of COVID-19, the decision was made on March 15, 2020 to cancel all New Hire Orientations until further notice. Fortunately, the 1199 Training and Upgrading Fund (TUF) has been able to launch a virtual orientation program using the virtual platform Zoom. Therefore, the requirement for all PCAs hired on or after January 1, 2020 to attend new hire orientation is back in effect. This notice provides information about the PCA orientation program and when your PCA will be required to complete it.

When must orientation be completed? 

PCA’s hired from March 1, 2020 -December 31, 2020, who are still currently employed, must complete an orientation before March 31, 2021 as a condition of employment.

 

All PCAs hired as of January 1, 2021 are required to complete an orientation within 90 days of the date of hire. A PCA who has not completed orientation within that timeframe cannot work as a PCA until the orientation is complete. 

 

 

Resources for Additional Information

Unemployment Insurance: https://www.ctdol.state.ct.us/

State of CT COVID-19 Information: https://portal.ct.gov/Coronavirus

State of CT COVID-19 Frequently Asked Questions: Includes information on assistance available during the COVID-19 for issues such as: rental and mortgage assistance, utility assistance; internet assistance and HUSKY Health.  https://portal.ct.gov/-/media/Coronavirus/COVID-19-FAQs.pdf?la=en

2-1-1 Resource Guide of Community-Based Programs: For help identifying and connecting with basic needs programs like food, utilities, healthcare, child care, diapers, and more, visit https://uwc.211ct.org/covid19resources or call 2-11

 

 

 

 

The 4th Annual Employer Forum Is In The Books!

 Thank you to all of the consumer-employers who attended.

You made the day a success!

 

All of the Materials from the November 2, 2019 Forum Can Be Found Here

 

Overview of the Day

The PCA Workforce Council      

Electronic Visit Verification - It's Here !

I Have To Do What?  Your Responsibilities as An Employer or Employer of Record

Sunset Shores Payroll Tips

Allied Payroll Tips

          

 

 __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Contact Information
Email: PCAcouncil@ct.gov
Phone: 860-418-6370 (please leave a message)

 

 

Members

  • David Guttchen (Chair)
  • Mary Caruso
  • Kathleen Flaherty
  • Sheila Mulvey
  • Denise Paladino
  • Dawn Lambert (Acting Interim DSS Representative)

 

 _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

 


The 3rd annual PCA Employer Forum was a success!
All of the materials from the October 27, 2018
forum are available here:

Agenda

The PCA Workforce Council

Tips for Hiring A Personal Care Assistant

Electronic Visit Verification (EVV)

Overview of the 2018 Collective Bargaining Agreement

Handouts from Fiscal Intermediaries

 

 


Information About PCA Orientation

 

 

Employers Choosing to Provide the Orientation Him/Herself

Employers that choose to provide the orientation him/herself must following these steps:         

  1. Complete the Opt-Out Form.  The form must be completed and returned to your fiscal intermediary within 14 days.  You may mail or fax the form.  The contact information for your fiscal intermediary is below.
  2. Inform your PCA of their requirement to attend the Union-Only portion of an orientation group session.  Under the collective bargaining agreement between the Workforce Council and the union that represents your PCA, 30 minutes of the orientation covers workers’ rights and responsibilities presented by a Union representative.  The first 30 minutes of every group session will cover these topics.  Registration for group sessions is covered below.
  3. Provide the rest of the orientation to your PCA.  You must follow the standard curriculum.  Orientation must be provided during non-service hours.  Your PCA will be paid $45.00 for completing the full orientation you provide and union-only portion of the orientation group session, which will not be counted against your service budget.
  4. Once completed, return the Employer Orientation Certification form.  Completing and returning this form promptly will ensure your PCA receives credit for completing orientation and is paid the orientation stipend.  Orientation is not complete until you have returned the Employer Orientation Certification form AND your PCA has attended the union-only session.

 

Fiscal Intermediary Contact Information

Allied Community Resources
860-627-5986 (fax)
1-877-722-8833 (phone)

Sunset Shores
1-866-380-0149 (fax)
1-800-887-0647 (option 1) (phone)

 

 

Orientation Group Sessions

Orientation group sessions are provided by the 1199 New England Health Care Employees Union and Training & Upgrading Fund under a contract with the Workforce Council.  For a list of orientation group sessions, click here.  Register now online by clicking here.

For more information regarding PCA orientation and training please contact the 1199 Training & Upgrading Fund at 860-804-4869.

   


Meetings

 

Documents

 

 

Recruitment/Retention/Referral Workgroup
 
Members

  Mary Caruso
   

Meetings 
  • June 4, 2014: Minutes
  • July 10, 2014: Agenda | Minutes
  • August 7, 2014: *CANCELED*
  • September 3, 2014: *CANCELED*
  • October 7, 2014: Agenda | Minutes
  • November 4, 2014: *CANCELED*
  • December 3, 2014: *CANCELED*
  • June 3, 2015: *CANCELED*
  • July 8, 2015:  Agenda |  Minutes
  • August 12, 2015:  Agenda | Minutes
  • September 2, 2015: *CANCELED*
  • October 7, 2015: *CANCELED*
  • November 4, 2015: *CANCELED*
  • December 2, 2015: *CANCELED*

 

Training Workgroup
Members
  • Greg McMahon
  • Sheila Mulvey
Meetings
  • October 9, 2014: Minutes
  • November 5, 2014: Agenda | Minutes
  • January 7, 2015: Agenda | Minutes
  • February 4, 2015: *CANCELED*
  • February 19, 2015: Minutes
  • March 4, 2015:
  • April 1, 2015: Agenda | Minutes
  • April 22, 2015: Agenda | Minutes
  • May 6, 2015: *CANCELED*
  • June 3, 2015: *CANCELED*
  • July 8, 2015:  Agenda | Minutes
  • August 12, 2015:  Agenda | Minutes
  • September 2, 2015: *CANCELED*
  • October 7, 2015: *CANCELED*
  • November 4, 2015: *CANCELED*
  • December 2, 2015: *CANCELED*

 

 

 

The 2nd Annual PCA Employer Forum was a success!

All of the materials from the November 4, 2017 forum are available here:

 

Agenda


The PCA Workforce Council


Meet Your Fiscal Intermediaries


Electronic Visit Verification


How to Recruit and Interview the Right PCA for You


Managing Your Individual Budget