COVID-19: Our Union’s Response and Resources

When you’re hearing so much about COVID-19, it can be overwhelming and hard to know what to believe. Below are trusted resources that we will be updating continuously with the latest information, as well as best practices for keeping yourself, your family, and your client healthy.

How and Where to get your COVID-19 Vaccine in Washington State
How and Where to Get Your COVID-19 Vaccine in Montana
How Caregivers Can Order PPE for Free – Thanks to our Union contract!
Frequently Asked Questions
- 华盛顿州护理人员常见问题 (中文 – Chinese) | 워싱턴 간병인 FAQ (한국어 – Korean) | вопросы и ответы для caregivers в штате Вашингтон (российский – Russian) Preguntas frecuentes de los cuidadores en Washington (Español – Spanish) | Câu Hỏi Thường Gặp về Chăm Sóc Viên Tại Washington (Tiểng Việt – Vietnamese)
SEIU 775 and SEIU 775 Benefits Group Resources
Lost Hours
Fact Sheets (Multilingual)
Read our Homecare is Healthcare Report

Frequently Asked Questions

Hazard Pay:
Question: Are caregivers getting Hazard Pay?

Answer: We fought for and won hazard pay for Washington home care workers. Go to our Contracts page to lean about the most recent hazard pay information by employer.

Client Safety:
Question: What do I do if I or my client gets COVID-19 or is exposed to COVID-19?

Answer: This is a big concern of many caregivers. We encourage you to call your/your client’s primary care physician, and contact your client’s case manager if you are an IP or your supervisor if you are an agency provider. Additionally, the Washington State Department of Health has established a call center to address questions from the public – their number is 1-800-525-0127.

Home Care Guidance for Tele-Health from DSHS: View this document for a list of tasks that can now be done by phone or remotely, and which tasks can only be provided in person. If you work for a private home care agency consult with your agency supervisor before doing tasks by phone or remotely.

远程健康家庭护理指导 (中文 – Chinese) | 원격 의료를 위한 가정 간호 지침 (한국어 – Korean) |Руководство по уходу на дому в режиме телемедицины (российский – Russian) | Guía de atención domiciliaria sobre telemedicina (Español – Spanish) | Hướng Dẫn Chăm Sóc Tại Nhà đối với Dịch Vụ Chăm Sóc Sức Khỏe Từ Xa (Tiểng Việt – Vietnamese)

COVID-19 Home Health/Home Care Guidelines: This document provides guidance for staff of home care, home health and hospice agencies to use when helping patients around the house or with personal or clinical care.

The document is now available in Amharic, Arabic, Cambodian, Chinese, English, Spanish, Korean, Laotian, Russian, Samoan, Somali, Tagalog, Ukrainian andVietnamese. All versions of the document are available on ALTSA’s COVID-19 Provider Information page.

Lost Hours:

Question: I lost hours or lost a client due to the COVID-19 – what can I do?

Answer: Depending on your situation, you can apply for Unemployment Insurance, Worker’s Comp/L&I, Paid Family Leave Act, or use PTO. You can learn more by clicking below – including taking a quiz that can help point you in the direction of the best resource for you. If you are interested in getting hours with a new client, you can also sign up at CarinaCare.com.

If you have lost hours due to COVID-19 and aren’t sure what you can do, please take our quiz to find out which benefits you may be eligible for.
Tips for Filing an Unemployment Claim– SEIU 775
Workers’ Compensation Coverage and COVID-19 FAQ – Washington State Department of Labor & Industries
Information for workers and businesses affected by COVID-19 – Washington State Employment Security Department
Financial Resources for Washington Residents Impacted by COVID-19 – Washington State Department of Financial Institutions

Vaccine Information:

Question: Do I need insurance to get the vaccine?

Answer: No, the COVID-19 vaccine is free for everyone and no insurance is needed. Vaccination providers cannot charge you for the vaccine, including copays or coinsurance, or deny the vaccine to anyone without health insurance, or who is underinsured or out of network.

Question: Who can get the vaccine now in Washington state?

Answer: Anyone 5 years of age or older is now eligible to get the COVID-19 vaccine.

Question: My client can’t leave home. How do I get the vaccine for them?

Answer: You can request “homebound vaccination services”. To do so:

Call the COVID-19 Assistance Hotline at 1-800-525-0127, then press #. Let them know you need “homebound vaccination services”.
Complete this form to request homebound vaccination services.
Call your local health department (contact information can be found here) and tell them you need “homebound vaccination services”.

Question: How do I know which vaccine I will get?

Answer: You can go to Vaccines.gov to search by a particular brand of vaccine. However, getting any vaccine is the most important. The CDC recommends that we should get any COVID-19 vaccine that is available and not wait for a specific brand.

Question: Do I still need the vaccine if I already had COVID?

Answer: Yes, you should be vaccinated regardless of whether you already had COVID-19. That’s because experts do not yet know how long you are protected from getting sick again after recovering from COVID-19. Even if you have already recovered from COVID-19, it is possible — although rare — that you could be infected with the virus that causes COVID-19 again.

Question: I’m a caregiver, where can I get PPE?

Answer: Together we fought for and won free PPE for caregivers. APs should request PPE through their agencies. IPs can order one PPE kit per month, per client, through Workday in CDWA’s DirectMyCare portal. Instructions on ordering are here.

Question: Can I get COVID-19 from the Vaccine?

Answer: No. There are no live virus particles. While you might feel minor, temporary side effects from the injection, it is impossible to contract the virus from the vaccine.

Question: Will the vaccine cause side effects? If so, how long might they last?

Answer: Some people who get a COVID-19 vaccine will experience side effects, particularly after a second dose. The side effects of the vaccine appear to be minor and temporary. Participants have reported pain at the injection site, fatigue, and occasional fever, headache, or aching muscles and joints. These side effects fade within 1-2 days.

These side effects are actually common with all vaccines: they are a sign that a vaccine is working and triggering an immune response.

Working People:
Question: With so many people losing hours and jobs, is there anything we can do to help?

Answer: We know that many people that work at closed businesses are out of work. We are joining with SEIU nationally and other unions to demand economic stimulus focused on working people, not big corporations. Among other things, we are calling for meaningful income replacement checks for all, regardless of citizenship or employment status. You can find out more at protectallworkers.org.

Resources:

Gloves: IPs serving Medicaid and state-only-funded clients have access to gloves as part of each client’s health benefits, thanks to our Union contract. To learn how to get them, click here.

Additional Resources: How to Obtain Non-Sterile Gloves for Your Personal Caregivers – Washington State Health Care Authority

Overtime limits to protect parent providers and live-in caregivers: While they are not eliminating the workweek limits across the board, the state has indicated that they are likely to approve temporarily waiving the overtime workweek limits on a case-by-case basis, especially where there is a concern about bringing additional caregivers into a shared living situation in a way that would increase risk of transmitting COVID-19. You can send a letter to your caseworker requesting an Exception to Client Specific Work Week Limit (CSWWL) to be able to exceed your work week limit and provide all of your client’s authorized hours. We have a template you can use here.

If you experience symptoms of, or believe you were exposed to COVID-19, call these hotlines:

Washington State Department of Health Coronavirus hotline: 1-800-525-0127 between 6 am and 10 pm
King County Coronavirus hotline: 206-477-3977 between 8 am and 7 pm

Find your local Health Department online here – Washington State Department of Health

Montana Information: Information and resources for Montanans is available here.