January 2019
Many of our union members have benefited from the $840/year reimbursement available through the UAW Education Fund for classes. Members have used this fund to take LSAT and bar exam classes, undergrad classes, language classes, and more. This fund is typically available only once a member is no longer on probation. However, because the LSNYC contract requires that social workers take the LMSW licensing exam within several months of being hired, social workers generally must study for the exam while still on probation.
When the union became aware of this problem, it was able to obtain a modification of the UAW Education Fund bylaws to carve out an exception from the general requirement that union members be off probation before accessing the Education Fund. With the modification to the Fund’s bylaws, social workers will now be able to take LMSW licensing exam prep classes even while still on probation. We appreciate the UAW Education Fund’s attention to this challenge and modification of the bylaws to support social workers in completing their licensing requirements.