Posts Categorized: Legislation and Politics

UFCW Local 711’s legislative priority to cap Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) fees in Nevada was recently enacted into law. After supporting this legislation for several years on behalf of Nevada working families, AB 305 was signed into law by Nevada Governor Joe Lombardo (R) on May 26. The bill, which is the first of its kind in the country, sets a cap of $30 on fees charged to workers by medical providers for FMLA forms.

The FMLA allows eligible workers to take up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave to care for seriously ill family members or personal medical conditions. The FMLA certification fee is an administrative fee charged by doctors to fill out the FMLA forms and has been steadily rising in cost, in some cases exceeding $100 in Nevada. Working families will no longer be required to pay these exorbitant fees while dealing with the additional financial hardship of medical expenses.

Lluvia Grant, a union representative for UFCW Local 711, testified before the state legislature about the importance of lower FMLA fees for over 7,000 UFCW members and all workers in Nevada, including those in grocery stores, retail pharmacies and cannabis facilities. “Working families should not have to continue to cover this cost while taking unpaid time off for family or medical leave,” Marzola said, highlighting that many families are already stretched thin financially.

Support for AB 305 was echoed by various union leaders and community members, including Juanita Figueroa, a 20-year UFCW Local 711 member and executive board member, who shared her personal experience with the financial strain of high certification fees during her battle with cancer. “I can’t imagine all of the other men and women in Nevada without insurance or a union that must pay these fees out of pocket just to keep their jobs,” Figueroa said.

Right now, Congress is considering slashing funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly known as food stamps, by as much as $230 billion or 20 percent over the next 10 years.

SNAP is a vital program that helps families struggling with food insecurity and provides jobs for grocery store and meat processing workers. In fact, 80 percent of SNAP dollars are spent at traditional grocery stores where UFCW members work.  But SNAP doesn’t just keep business coming into our stores and plants, it also helps to reduce poverty and keep our communities fed.

The UFCW is urging all locals and members to oppose any efforts to cut SNAP benefits, apply work requirements, place stricter requirements on who can qualify for benefits or further limit what foods can be purchased with this benefit.

Click here to send a letter to Congress urging them not to cut SNAP benefits and share this letter with your network. Together, we can protect this important benefit for low-income Americans and safeguard UFCW jobs.