Harper College Adjunct Faculty Association

“ERISA is the Employment Retirement Income Security Act of 1974. The law protects employee rights in such vested benefits as retirement plans, but “also applies to such nonvested plans as health insurance,” Harder says.

 Workforce restructuring — shifting jobs and hours to avoid the requirement to provide health insurance, for example — is the key. “If an employee is eligible for health care benefits under an existing plan (but) the employer curtails working hours specifically to create ineligibility (for coverage) … an ERISA complaint may be actionable,” Harder wrote in a C3 Advisors blog (c3advisors.wordpress.com).

 The Department of Labor enforces ERISA rules.”

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I have been researching ACA, adjuncts, etc., and have come across some interesting articles for your reading pleasure.  

http://www.utne.com/Politics/Adjunct-Faculty-Teaching-Vancouver-Canada.aspx#axzz2Vyvxqfb0

http://chronicle.com/article/A-Canadian-College-Where/123629/

http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2013/01/09/adjunct-leaders-consider-strategies-force-change

http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2013/04/08/adjunct-conference-highlights-conflict-between-fear-and-action

http://www.vanderbiltuniversitypress.com/index.php/books/571/equality-for-contingent-faculty

http://www.newfacultymajority.info/equity/           (they offer health insurance for their members – seems to be on a sliding scale of income)

Thank you!

Charmian

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With just days to go before adjournment, major education-related issues remain unresolved at the Statehouse. It’s crucial that the members of the Illinois House of Representatives hear from IEA members immediately.
IEA members are urged to contact their state legislators by calling 888-412-6570. Please deliver these key messages:
•Vote NO on ANY bill that would shift the state’s pension costs to local school districts or taxing districts.
•Illinois already ranks 49th in state support for schools.
•Most Illinois school districts are engaged in deficit spending and cannot take on additional costs.
•Co-sponsor and support Senate Bill 2404. The constitutional pension bill negotiated with the Illinois labor coalition will help stabilize the pension systems, allowing them to continue to pay benefits to TRS and SURS participants for decades to come.
Tell your senator to:
•Oppose SB 1, Speaker Madigan’s unconstitutional pension bill.
•VOTE NO on any bill containing a pension cost shift.
SB 2404 Fact sheet FAQ on SB 2404 SB 1 Fact sheet

Check the IEA website, www.ieanea.org IEA Facebook and Twitter pages for updates on the pension fight.

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You will find a contact list if you click on the contact tab at the top.

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Taimi Wilke was elected to the NEA RA as the HCAFA representative, and Minerva Milford was elected representative to the Region 42 Ethnic Minority Council.

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If you are interested in learning about NEA’s suggestions to the IRS regarding health care, please click on the link below.

NEA Comments on Shared Responsibility for Employers March 18 2013

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The National Education Association has been working with the Department of the Treasury to address concerns related to contingent faculty members who are paid on a per-course basis. This issue arises in the context of the development of federal regulations related to the employer-penalty provisions of the Affordable Care Act. As explained in more detail below, the key policy issue at this point is for NEA to make a recommendation to Treasury about how to count contingent faculty members’ hours of service. Treasury is seeking input on this issue. Continue reading →

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Click on the link below to better understand how your teaching hours may be affected by the Affordable Health Care Act (Obamacare).

Affordable Healthcare Act – Eric Zorn Trib article

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We   have heard from a number of Harper Adjuncts:  they have been told that their hours will be cut to prevent the application of  the Affordable Care Act.  If you care about your Harper hours, and want to keep them, TRY TO ATTEND THE RALLY!

Please come to the Rally being held at the meeting of the Community College Council of Presidents on Friday, March 8th from 9:30-11 a.m. at the Westin Hotel in Lombard. Please see the attached flyer for details and directions. The purpose of the Rally is to protest the actions of community college presidents who have been unilaterally cutting hours that adjuncts teach in order to make them ineligible for Affordable Care Act health insurance. We must protest this because it is also happening at Harper! If you can go, please do. If not, please try to send someone else there, and carry a placard if possible. They do not have to be adjuncts or HCAFA members. The more people there at the Rally, the better!

Community College Health Care Protest Rally March 2013

In addition to attending the rally, you might want to contact your legislators and urge them to support affordable healthcare for adjuncts and other part-time workers.  You will find their contact information on the IEA website,  www.ieanea.org.    Select the legislative/political tab and then select “contact your legislator.”

HCAFA Executive Committee

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HCAFA Members:

Harper College Adjunct Faculty Association’s election for officers and division representatives is on March 15, 2013.

Officers and Representatives will serve 2 year terms commencing May 31, 2013. Think about joining the HCAFA team in a meaningful way. Become a rep for your division.

Please forward nominations to Taimi Wilk, Election Chair, by March 8, 2013 if you are interested in serving as a union representative or officer.  The address is hcafagrievance@gmail.com

HCAFA Executive Committee

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