Latest Updates on the Coronavirus Situation

UHH Members Can Now Get 8 Free At-Home COVID Tests Per Month

February 8, 2022 10:00 AM

Members with the Unite Here Health Plan can now receive up to 8 FREE at-home COVID-19 tests per month (30 days). These tests are in addition to the 4 free tests offered by the Federal Government, which can be ordered online at covidtests.gov. Read more....

New Jersey Homeowners: Apply for Assistance Starting February 8th!

February 7, 2022 1:10 AM

New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy announced that on February 8th, the state of New Jersey would launch the Emergency Rescue Mortgage Assistance program (ERMA), using $325 million to help New Jersey homeowners who have been negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Read more...

Get Free At-Home COVID-19 Tests

January 19, 2022 8:08 PM

Starting January 18th, all households in the United States can order a set of 4 at-home COVID-19 tests at no cost to them through the United States Postal Service. The sets will be limited to one per household. Read more...

New York State Homeowners: Apply for Assistance Starting January 3rd!

December 23, 2021 10:21 AM

New York Governor Kathy Hochul has announced that beginning January 3rd, New York State will distribute up to $539 million to eligible homeowners who are struggling as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The State’s Homeowner Assistance Fund will provide up to $50,000 dollars of financial assistance to eligible homeowners, access to case managers to help homeowners find additional mortgage relief, and referrals to housing counseling and legal services. Read more...

HTC Works with NY Gov. Hochul to Secure $2,750 Checks for Unemployed Hotel Workers and Millions for New Tourism Initiatives

November 24, 2021 6:37 PM

Since March of 2020, our Union has single-mindedly fought to get as many of our members as possible back to work and to get financial relief for those who nonetheless remain laid off. Earlier this month, our Union secured $2,750 in additional relief for our laid off members and millions of dollars in new incentives for hotels to bring back workers – this time, from New York State. Read more...

COVID-19 Booster Shots Available At Union Health Centers!

November 24, 2021 11:49 AM

The Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 booster shots are now available at the Union’s Queens, Midtown, Brooklyn, and Harlem health centers. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has authorized COVID-19 booster shots for all vaccinated Americans age 18 or older who received the initial series of Moderna or Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine at least six months ago. Read more...

NJ Opens Cash Relief Fund for Excluded Workers!

October 29, 2021 5:33 PM

The State of New Jersey is now providing one-time cash payments to eligible New Jersey residents who were excluded from federal stimulus checks and COVID-related unemployment benefits, including undocumented workers and the formerly incarcerated. Eligible individuals can receive up to $1,000. Read more...

Urge New York to Extend Unemployment

In New York, where the State has neither agreed nor outright rejected the possibility of extending benefits, our Union has raised this issue with the Governor and the State Legislature. While they’ve promised to look into it, as of right now, these benefits are ending. As part of our efforts, we need to show elected officials how the upcoming loss of benefits will impact thousands of hardworking New Yorkers. Take action and sign our petition to extend unemployment here.

Extended Unemployment Benefits Coming to an Abrupt Halt

September 3, 2021 4:36 PM

Thousands of our members have been relying on multiple federally funded programs extending and supplementing unemployment during the COVID-19 crisis. The federal and state governments have extended unemployment well beyond the normal limit of 26 weeks of benefits during this crisis. However, on August 19th, President Biden announced that the federal government would not be extending these programs and he urged states with high unemployment rates – which include New York and New Jersey – to use the federal relief money they have received to extend unemployment benefits. Unfortunately, and contrary to our hopes, New York State has not done so in a meaningful way. Read more...

Laid Off Members Can Now Access Funds On Their HRA Cards!

August 30, 2021 6:04 PM

Starting September 1st, Union members who are laid off can use the balance on their HRA cards to help pay for medical expenses incurred since January 1, 2021. Read more...

Dental Services Back in Brooklyn

This May, we celebrated the limited reopening of the Brooklyn health center with New York Senator and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer. Now, we’re happy to announce that dental services are coming back to Brooklyn on August 16th! As the number of members returning to our healthcare plan continues to grow, services at the Brooklyn health center will be expanded. Read more...

Harlem Health Center Reopens With Limited Services!

August 20, 2021 5:40 PM

The Union’s Harlem health center reopens August 16th, after being temporarily closed since the beginning of this year. As many members will recall, the Harlem health center had to temporarily close in January, due to the reduced size of the active workforce. Given the high volume of members returning to our healthcare, either because they are returning to work or through the free COBRA subsidy, the facility is now able to reopen. With the reopening of Harlem, all five locations are now open, with Brooklyn and Harlem offering limited services to start. Read more...

New Resources for Laid Off Members

While tourism has picked up and our industries have started to make a comeback, the fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic is unprecedented. Never before have so many hotels and casinos been closed and so many of our Union’s members laid off, for so long.

The months ahead will undoubtedly be difficult for many of our members. You can count on your Union to do absolutely everything in its power to assist you until you are recalled to your Union job. Take a look at some of the resources that are available to you below. Read more...

Apply Now: Direct Cash Relief For Undocumented New Yorkers

August 9, 2021 11:36 AM

New York State is offering one-time payments of up to $15,600 to undocumented immigrants who lost work during the pandemic and were unable to collect unemployment or federal stimulus money. As part of the 2021-2022 New York State budget, the state created the “Excluded Workers Fund” and set aside a total of $2.1 billion to provide direct cash payments to the hundreds of thousands of undocumented workers in the state. Read more...

Help with Healthcare is Available - Apply by August 15th!

August 9, 2021 10:58 AM

The government's deadline to apply for this program is this Sunday, August 15th. Don't delay!

There is more good news from the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan (ARP) that was passed by Congress and signed by President Biden in March. Many workers who are receiving — or have already received — unemployment benefits in 2021 qualify for no-cost or low-cost private health insurance. This little known feature of the ARP will last through the end of the year. But eligible workers must apply by August 15. The program applies to anyone who received unemployment benefits anytime during 2021, even if they are working again. Read more...

Hotel Workers Who Live in NY: Apply Now to Receive Money for Childcare!

June 23, 2021 6:12 PM

New York State has opened applications for childcare scholarships for the children of essential workers, which includes hotel workers, who live in New York State. This scholarship fund will provide weekly payments directly to your childcare provider for children between 6 weeks and 12 years old. Read more...

NY State Residents: Apply now for Rent Relief!

June 18, 2021 10:54 AM

Earlier this month, New York State launched an Emergency Rental Assistance Program to help New Yorkers who are struggling to pay their rent and utilities. If eligible, you could qualify for up to 12 months of overdue rent payments and up to 3 months of future rent payments! Funds are limited, so apply soon! Read more...

What to Expect as New York City’s Private Clubs Reopen

June 16, 2021 10:22 AM

New York’s clubs, hotels, and casinos have started to reopen their doors. All but two clubs have reopened. The Princeton Club, which is one of the clubs currently closed, will reopen on July 7th. While the clubs will likely not return to pre-pandemic business for many months, the outlook for the industry is generally encouraging. Read more...

A Plea to my Union Brothers and Sisters: COVID-19 Almost Killed Me and I am Still Suffering. So Please, Get Vaccinated!

June 10, 2021 5:30PM

In March 2020, I became sick with the Coronavirus and almost died. I write to my fellow members with the hope that my personal experience can serve as a reminder of the danger the Coronavirus poses, and the urgency of getting vaccinated. Read more...

Brooklyn Health Center To Re-Open on May 3rd!

May 2, 2021 3:06 PM

“Our Union’s Brooklyn health center will reopen with limited services this Monday, May 3rd” announces HTC President Rich Maroko. “Initially, the health center will offer primary care visits, lab work, and pharmacy only. We are thrilled to be able to announce this first step and look forward to the eventual return to full service of the Brooklyn health center and the reopening of the Harlem health center.” Read more...