Rebecca Williams, a Residential Technician at Orchard Court, was working full-time hours for over a year, covering for an employee who had taken a temporary position in another home.

In December 2021, when retention payments were issued, Williams questioned why she had received payment as a part-time employee, and not as a full-time employee. She and the Steward, Lacey Stringham, reached out to the Local 459 office to inquire about the appropriateness of the payment.

Looking into the issue, Local 459 found that Williams had not been offered a full-time position when she should have been, per the language of 2.9(D) of the Residential Collective Bargaining Agreement. Had she been offered the position at the appropriate time, she would have received the payment.

When presented with the facts, Human Resources agreed with the Union’s interpretation and therefore agreed to retroactively offer Williams the full-time position and to pay her the $1,000 she had not received for the full-time retention payment.

In this victory for Local 459, the member and steward demonstrated the importance of examining questionable practices in the light of your union contract. Great job, Rebecca and Lacey!