Thanks to all the hard work of SEIU Local 99 members who spoke out in Sacramento to help pass California’s Summer Bridge Fund Program, next summer there will be a stronger safety net for school workers who do not work during the summer session. If you applied to participate in the program during the 2019-20 school year, you should have received a notice of eligibility from the school district by June 1, 2019. If you have questions about the notification you received from the school district or your eligibility, please complete this form.

Keep in mind that the Summer Bridge Fund was created to help classified school employees during the summer months when there is no work available. The goal is not to replace summer session work. While the decision to work during the summer recess is up to each member, you will earn more money working the summer session with the school district than through the Summer Bridge Fund.

This is how we keep making politics work for us!
As the Summer Bridge Program rolls-out, we have been working with the state to clarify some of the language and we’ve won important updates that expand and improve the summer bridge program.

One key win is that Governor Gavin Newsom included an additional $36 million in California’s budget for the summer bridge program to ensure that the state can pay school workers the $1:$1 matching funds. This is in addition to the $50 million that had already been budgeted for the program.

Here are other important changes that go into effect in the 2020-21 school year:

  • Members are eligible for the summer bridge program if you earn less than $62,400/year working for the school district and do not work the summer session.
  • If you work the summer session with the school district, you are not eligible for the summer bridge program even if you earn less than $62,400/year. However, you can work outside the school district and still be eligible even if the total income from your school district and non-school district jobs is more than $62,400/year.
  • If you work for a limited time for the school district during the months of June, July, and August as part of your regular school-year assignment (not summer session) you are still eligible to participate in the program.
  • You are eligible for the program if you work 11 months or less per school year.
  • You may opt-out of the program at any time during the school year if you are experiencing personal or financial hardship. You must notify the school district that you no longer want money withheld from your paycheck. The school district will return any pay withheld from your check up to that point. However, you will not be eligible to receive the matching funds from the state.

Read more about the program here.