MESSAGE TO OUR
EMPLOYEES
October 2, 2024
View the details of our offer
We’re continuing to invest in you and are working hard to reach an agreement with NUHW.
This message was sent from Ramin Davidoff, MD, executive medical director & chair, Southern California Permanente Medical Group; chair & CEO, Hawaii Permanente Medical Group and Michelle Gaskill-Hames, BSN, MHA, regional president, Southern California & Hawaii Kaiser Foundation Health Plan & Hospitals.
There is a mental health crisis in America, which makes your decision to provide mental health care and addiction services at Kaiser Permanente all the more important. Over the past several years, we’ve been working together to build a better model of mental health care. We’re continuing to invest in additional capacity and care solutions. We have invested more than $1 billion since 2020 to expand our mental health capabilities in California — with more therapists, more resources, and shorter wait times — and we know there is more work to do.
We deeply value and respect the work you do. That is why Kaiser Permanente has been working hard to reach an agreement with NUHW. We want to reassure you that Kaiser Permanente will continue to come to the table until we do. We believe we can do this with NUHW without interrupting patient care. We are committed to a new contract that supports you as you deliver the best mental health and addiction medicine care for our members.
We’re continuing to invest in you. Our proposals at the table build upon market-leading wages, enhance the industry-leading benefits you receive today, and acknowledge your need for time to prepare for patient appointments and plan care coordination.
- Across-the-board (ATB) increases to above-market wages: Today, our full-time therapists in Southern California are paid wages that are already, on average, 18% above market. Our proposal builds on these market-leading wages. Kaiser Permanente presented an improved 4-year ATB proposal totaling 18%, with 5% (year 1), 5% (year 2), 4% (year 3), and 4% (year 4). We also added a longevity step of 2% at 25 years.
- Market-competitive benefits: Kaiser Permanente offered an enhanced Retiree Medical Plan with improved Health Reimbursement Account (HRA) and HRA supplement contributions that add even more value to the subsidized retirement health plan Kaiser Permanente provides.
- Protected time for care planning and preparation: Our proposal provides up to 6 hours per week for activities such as planning, preparation, and professional development — 4 hours each week is protected time that cannot be booked into, and an additional 2 hours each week are available for more planning and preparation time if appointments do not need to be booked. This allows us to balance the need for patient access.
You can view more details about our current offer to NUHW-represented employees in Southern California.
You have our commitment that Kaiser Permanente will continue to engage meaningfully and intentionally for a contract that is good for you, our members, and our patients. We ask the same of NUHW so we can reach an agreement soon, without any disruption for you and our patients.
Thank you for your ongoing commitment and dedication to your patients and our members.
