We were supposed to meet with VMMC management today and receive their counter-proposal to the severance package proposal we made on Tuesday, 10/15. VMMC let us know that they had been unable to receive all the monetary information they needed from their people to be able to fully respond to our proposal; while they were willing to meet with us and tell us that, they wouldn’t be able to give us any counter today. We are now meeting with them on Monday, 10/21 at 1500. The WSNA team will be caucusing at 1445 – a Teams link will be available shortly.

We wanted to clarify a few parts of WSNA’s severance proposal.

• Retention: we proposed that FBC nurses receive 8 weeks of retention pay in addition to severance pay if the nurse 1) remains in the FBC until the nurse’s position was eliminated (meaning, the nurse stays through 11/15 or until VM lets them go (example: VM decides it doesn’t need all nurses through 11/15 and starts letting some go the week prior), or 2) if the nurse accepts a different position in either VM or another VMFH facility before 11/15. So – as long as the nurse remains in the FBC until 11/15 (unless VM lets them go early), takes another position in VM, or takes a position at a different VMFH hospital, the nurse is eligible for the retention bonus under WSNA’s proposal. Basically, as long as a nurse does not leave of their own volition and goes to a non-VMFH facility, they would be eligible.
  • We proposed that the retention bonus is based on the nurse’s regular rate of pay (premiums/differentials included) and either their FTE or the average hours worked over the past 6 months of employment, whichever is greater.
• Severance: we proposed that nurses receive severance in addition to a retention bonus based on length of service.
  • Less than one year in the FBC = 4 weeks of pay.
  • One year to less than two years in the FBC = 6 weeks of pay.
  • Two years to less than three years in the FBC = 9 weeks of pay.
  • Three or more years in the FBC = 12 weeks of pay.
  • Just as with the retention bonus, we proposed that severance pay is based on the nurse’s regular rate of pay (premiums/differentials included) and either their FTE or the average hours worked over the past 6 months of employment, whichever is greater.
• We also proposed provisions covering annual leave/sick cash-out, retirement lump sum equivalent if the nurse hasn’t vested yet, and coverage of health care benefits at the same premium cost as the nurse currently pays through March ’25.

Questions? Ask WSNA officer and FBC champion Donna Watts or WSNA Nurse Representative Sara Frey at sfrey@wsna.org.