The Service Employees International Union has agreed to settle a class-action lawsuit over dues deduction practices that affect home care workers.
The union initially refused to let a home care worker leave because she would not provide a copy of her driver’s license. Hydie Nance then sued in federal court, alleging that SEIU “impedes and burdens personal assistants’ First Amendment right to stop subsidizing SEIU-HCII and its speech.” The photo identification requirement also exposes workers to the threat of identity theft, according to court documents. The Right to Work Foundation – an anti-union organization – aided Nance’s efforts.
The agreement calls on the union to:
- Refund Nance $245 in dues deducted from her subsidies after she requested the union stop deducting dues.
- Accept requests to end dues deductions without requiring photo identification.
- Identify earlier union-defection requests that were denied due to a photo identification requirement.
- Accept dues deduction requests made on forms provided by third-party organizations.
