Over the weekend, the CWA and IBEW negotiated with Verizon to establish a new Hazard Pay agreement during the coronavirus pandemic.  This agreement will provide extra compensation for workers on the front line, who must interface with customers and the public. 

Employees who do not have the option to work at home are eligible for the extra compensation.  Also, Verizon will pay bonuses to these same employees who are on leave of absence because of a medially diagnosed case of COVID 19, or directed to self-quarantine either by Verizon, or by a doctor or government official, because of a suspected case of COVID 19.  The bonus will be $300 per week, and may be renegotiated, but will never be less than $300 per week. 

This bonus structure is in line with other companies who are offering extra compensation for employees who must work in situations that put them at risk of being infected by the coronavirus or transmitting it to their families.  

The unions are pleased Verizon shares the concern we have for these employees and is willing to offer these bonuses to union members who perform the dangerous work of keeping the network intact, and keeping our neighbors, state and local government, and businesses connected during this crisis

If you are quarantined fill out this form and send to: COVID19-WPAT@verizon.com.

  • If you (god forbid) have COVID-19, you need to send an email to this address.
  • If you have child care issues and are not able to work from home, you need to send an email to this address.
  • If you are unable to work from home, and have to care for someone with COVID -19, you need to send an email to this address.

In each email, state why (one of the three reasons above) you are requesting the leave.

V Team,

We continue to monitor the coronavirus (COVID-19) developments and address every matter that touches the well-being of our colleagues, including evaluating our policies to ensure they are responsive to your needs. For starters, we have expanded our work-from-home strategy to encompass a significant percentage of our team and we continue to deploy other working arrangements to support our employee community during this time. 

We realize we have colleagues who are unable to work-from-home as they are maintaining our superior network services and providing best-in-class support to our customers. We want to make sure our V Teamers on the frontlines are supported, so we are working to modify our benefits structure to help balance work responsibilities with the realities you are dealing with at home.

As you may know there is legislation pending in Washington regarding compensation and benefits relief during the coronavirus pandemic. We are not waiting for that to be resolved.  We will continue to pay targeted compensation levels and provide benefits to our colleagues who are working from home, working on the frontlines in our retail locations, call centers and network locations that remain open.

To assist our colleagues who are unable to work under extenuating circumstances related to caregiver needs, we are announcing a new COVID-19 specific leave of absence policy that will provide 100% of pay for up to 8 weeks, reduced to 60% of pay after 8 weeks.  This policy applies to employees who are:

  • Caring for a household member who has been diagnosed with Coronavirus;
  • Unable to secure childcare accommodations after exhausting all childcare options, including a family member or our Back-up Care Advantage Program; or
  • Directed by a doctor not to report to work because of an underlying health condition (their own or that of a household member) and unable to work at home.

If you meet the criteria listed above, please visit our Coronavirus Resource Page to access the enrollment form or refer to the application process in the attached document.

Once reviewed, we will validate these leaves of absences which may include periodic requalification. This will coordinate with any available government benefits, including benefits available outside the U.S., where local policies may already provide for equivalent or greater leaves.  

Whether you are working from home to help slow the spread of COVID-19 or continuing to serve our customers to meet their needs, the leadership of Verizon deeply appreciates the work that you are doing. We will continue to update our policies and practices as needed to make sure we are keeping pace with the changing government requirements, and supporting you. 

I want to thank each of you for your dedication and support to our fellow colleagues and customers during this unprecedented time.  We are the V Team, this is what we do.  And, we’re here to support you.

We are the V Team.  We will move forward together.

#ForwardTogether 

Christy

V Team,

We continue to monitor the coronavirus (COVID-19) developments and address every matter that touches upon the well-being of our employees and customers, while delivering uninterrupted network services and connectivity to our customers. We’re constantly evaluating our policies to make sure they are responsive and sensitive to our employees’ needs.

Today, we reached an agreement with the East unions regarding temporary work-at-home arrangements in connection with the COVID-19 outbreak. Under the agreement, we will determine when it is practical to allow associates in a title and workgroup to work from home. When we conclude we can do so within a workgroup, we’ll make work-at-home available on a voluntary basis, potentially through the end of April.

We recognize that many of our jobs require our associates to be at our workplaces to serve our customers. For associates in those positions, work-at-home will not be an option. Our facilities remain open and for those who come to our workplaces, we will keep all spaces safe and clean. We’re adhering to protocols to clean and sanitize our offices, vehicles and equipment, as well as closely monitoring the situation in each community. As always, our customers and communities depend on our communications networks and services, and we’re committed to keeping them connected.

Here’s what you can expect next. Each organization will be conducting its own evaluation of which positions are appropriate for work at home. Your leader will let you know if your job permits this work-from-home option. Until you hear otherwise from your leader, continue to report for your normal work assignment. If you hear from your leader that your job is eligible, you will be able to volunteer. If there are more volunteers than we can accommodate, seniority will determine who can work from home. Your leader will work with you on the details and you’ll be expected and required to:

  • Comply with all of Verizon’s rules and policies including the Code of Conduct.
  • Safeguard all company property and information. Install and maintain all company property (e.g., laptops, power cords, monitors, etc.) provided to you to effectively work at home.

Our people are our greatest strength and your health and well-being is our top priority. We are grateful to the leadership of the CWA and the IBEW for supporting this initiative. We will continue to keep in close contact as we navigate the days ahead.