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AMERICAN POSTAL WORKERS UNION, AFL-CIO
Issues arise in everyone's life which are unrelated to the workplace, yet greatly affect our work. Our lives do not protect us from issues of childcare or eldercare. Health and legal issues, homeowner and personal finance issues, will inevitably touch each of us at one time or another. Such issues require research, time, and energy...draining us. The employee is often required, by such circumstances, to miss work time. Their morale and productivity may suffer. Discipline may even result. LifeCare.com is an information, education, resource and referral service designed to make your life easier. It is FREE to all APWU represented employees. It is, in fact, a BENEFIT negotiated for you by the APWU. The USPS pays the costs. The Letter Carriers don't have it. And management fought against it.
LifeCare services are voluntary and confidential. Regardless of the nature of your life issue, you can contact LifeCare specialists 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, either on line (http://www.lifecare.com) or by phone at 1-800-873-4636 (or 1-800-873-1322, if you are deaf or hard of hearing). On line, for your Company Code, enter postal and complete the rest of the on-line form. When calling, you'll be asked for your name and your company. Explain or enter the nature of your issue and the parameters you want to set (such as price ranges or proximity to your home). LifeCare then does the legwork, the gruntwork, for you. They'll locate the resources or services that best address your stated needs. When you speak to a LifeCare specialist, you'll be speaking to someone with professional degrees and/or professional experience in the area of your need...not some "jack of all trades." Example: Your parent can no longer live alone, without 24-hour medical supervision. You need information on quality assisted care and/or nursing homes. This situation could easily develop into a second full-time job. Doing the research yourself can result in loss of sleep, anxiety, irritability, and, in all likelihood, lost work time. Your relations with loved ones might become strained. One life issue, such as this, could damage so many other aspects of your life. That's what LifeCare is for. Log on to LifeCare.com. The web site contains detailed information on affordable providers in your area, checklists, budget calculators, and more. You can submit questions to LifeCare's team of experts and participate in online seminars. No computer? No problem. Call 1-800-873-4636 and a LifeCare representative will assist you. They'll find what you're looking for, according to your priorities (e.g. "this service is closer to your home, while this one is slightly less expensive, and both are highly rated") and/or refer you to a LifeCare expert for more detailed assistance. Since LifeCare is available 24/7, you can contact them at your convenience, regardless of your Tour of duty.
APWU employees also may obtain free "kits" containing comprehensive educational materials and practical products in three areas of common experience among Postal employees. LifeCare offers free Prenatal kits, Child Safety kits, and Adult Care kits. These materials and books would cost you money, as well as time, to obtain yourself, but they're free through LifeCare.
While LifeCare was chosen by Article 35's Joint Dependent Care Taskforce, they provide information on a wealth of other issues, such as education, health and wellness, retirement planning, home improvement, moving, automotive issues, travel, pet care, and more. Example: You're an avid golfer planning a vacation. Through LifeCare you can learn where the best courses are in the area and what you can expect to pay. If you own a pet, LifeCare will help you find "pet friendly" hotels.
As noted, LifeCare is a negotiated benefit. It is a contracted service, paid for, but not run by, the USPS. It is completely free for APWU employees. The only costs employees bear are the fees associated with the providers or resources selected. You can use LifeCare as often as you like, whenever you like, for whatever you like. It is strictly confidential. It is voluntary and you are certainly free to make your own choices. The only way the employee can lose is by not using LifeCare. As with most negotiated benefits, the rule of thumb is "use it or lose it." LifeCare is not a substitute for the services provided by your local Union--they cannot get your "Notice of Removal" overturned; but using LifeCare when you have a personal life crisis may prevent such a Removal from ever being issued. LifeCare will save you the time, the sleep, and the stress of doing it all yourself. LifeCare exists to make your life easier.
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