Common use of Addressing Common Challenges Clause in Contracts

Addressing Common Challenges. Union and Employer recognize that a set of political, economic, and labor-relations challenges can inhibit improvements in the quality of care that Washington citizens in nursing facilities receive, the Employers’ economic ability to sustain responsible operations, and nursing facility worker wages, benefits and quality of life. Public education and political advocacy is essential to maintaining and improving public investment in nursing facility care, especially in light of the successive unfunded rapidly escalating minimum wage increases that Seattle-based nursing home operators are subject to starting January 1, 2016. Union and Employer recognize that they can resolve the foregoing challenges more effectively by working together rather than by working separately. Following ratification of this Agreement, Union and Employer shall use best efforts to increase the net level of Medicaid reimbursement to Employer’s Center to fully fund the additional costs of enhanced minimum wage standards in all subsequent rate rebasing, either as part of the base rate or through an add-on payment, as necessary thereafter. The parties will use best efforts to collaborate as necessary to ensure that Washington’s Medicaid rate-setting authority accurately quantifies the Centers’ operational cost of implementing the pending Seattle minimum wage increases and provides for additional funding to pay for the resulting new financial obligations of Employer.

Addressing Common Challenges. Union and Employer recognize that a set of political, economic, and labor-relations challenges can inhibit improvements in the quality of care that Washington citizens in nursing facilities receive, the Employers’ economic ability to sustain responsible operations, and nursing facility worker wages, benefits and quality of life. Public education and political advocacy is essential to maintaining and improving public investment in nursing facility care, especially in light of the successive unfunded rapidly escalating minimum wage increases that Seattle-based nursing home operators are subject to starting January 1, 2016. Union and Employer recognize that they can resolve the foregoing challenges more effectively by working together rather than by working separately. Following ratification of this Agreement, Union and Employer shall use best efforts to increase the net level of Medicaid reimbursement to Employer’s Center to fully fund the additional costs of enhanced minimum wage standards in all subsequent rate rebasing, either as part of the base rate or through an add-on payment, as necessary thereafter. The parties will use best efforts to collaborate as necessary to ensure that Washington’s Medicaid rate-setting authority accurately quantifies the Centers’ operational cost of implementing the pending Seattle minimum wage increases and provides for additional funding to pay for the resulting new financial obligations of Employer.