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RELEASE: Child Care Providers Press Charges Against State of California 

For Immediate Release 

July 24, 2025

Contact: Maya Polon, maya@paschalroth.com

Providers’ contract with the state expired on July 1. As the State engages in bad faith bargaining, 24 child care providers are forced to close their doors every day. 

SACRAMENTO, CA – Today, members of Child Care Providers United (CCPU) – the union representing more than 60,000 family child care providers in California – pressed charges against Governor Newsom’s Administration for violating their rights at the bargaining table. The charges are:

  • Bargaining in bad faith: The state went back on its offer to raise provider pay by July 1, 2025, engaging in unlawful regressive bargaining. 
  • Illegally withholding state funds: State negotiators indicated in bargaining that they intend to delay money already appropriated by legislators in the 2025-26 budget signed by the Governor to give providers cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs). Legislators were clear that they intended this money to go to providers immediately.
  • Taking unilateral action without approval by the union: Even as negotiations were ongoing, the state announced publicly that it had completed an alternative payment methodology for providers.

The charges filed with the state’s Public Employment Relations Board can be viewed here.

“Providers have been working tirelessly to reach agreement on a new contract that will protect access to child care for California’s working families but Governor Newsom’s team has refused to bargain in good faith. Their blatant disregard for the law is an insult to hard working providers and families who rely on their care,” said Max Arias, CCPU’s Chief Negotiator. The state’s actions are unacceptable and unlawful. We will not take this threat to providers and Californians’ access to care lightly.”

Currently, according to state data, 73% of California child care providers caring for children in state programs do not pay themselves a salary due to inconsistent, low pay from the state that does not cover the full cost of providing care. Providers also work far more than 40 hours a week, with many providers providing round-the-clock care and reporting getting as little as 3 hours of sleep each night. 

“We heard loud and clear from our child care providers that they’re struggling to keep their doors open and we knew we had to act,” said Assemblymember Cecilia Aguiar-Curry (D-Winters), Chair of the Legislative Women’s Caucus. “That’s why the Women’s Caucus worked hard with Assembly leadership and child care advocates to help get a cost-of-living adjustment for providers included in the budget. These COLAs are important while CCPU continues to work toward a contract that truly reflects the full cost of care. We’re urging the Administration to make sure there’s no delay in getting these funds to the folks who California’s working families depend on to care for our children.”

While union-won retirement and healthcare benefits have brought thousands of new providers into the field, persistent continued low pay has created a revolving door that hurts families urgently needing care. An average of 24 providers are forced to close their doors every day, leaving the parents of 96 children scrambling for care, according to Department of Social Services data reviewed by CCPU. Inconsistent access to care harms our whole state; working parents need stable child care to continue going to work as janitors, nurses, and delivery drivers.

Providers are calling on the state to stop breaking the law and sit down at the bargaining table to agree on a contract that invests in our state’s child care workforce to ensure working families do not continue to lose access to care.

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Child Care Providers United brings together 60,000 family child care providers across California and is a partnership of SEIU Local 99, SEIU Local 521 and UDW/AFSCME Local 3930.

Our Perspectives

Access your portal

Step 1

Go to portal site.

Go to www.MyParticipantEdge.com

STEP 2

Click “Create Account.”

step 3

Complete the following fields, using the information provided in the benefits letter you received.

  • User Type: Member
  • Email: Enter your email address and confirm your email
  • First and Last Name: Enter your first and last name
  • SSN/SIN: Enter the last 4 digits of the Retirement Identification Number you received from your benefits letter. Do not enter the last 4 digits of your Social Security number.
  • Date of Birth: Enter your actual date of birth. If this doesn’t work, then enter the temporary date of birth from your benefits letter.
  • Zip Code/Postal Code: Enter the zip code exactly as written on your benefits letter
step 4

Click “Next” and the following screen displays

Enter the password, and three Security Questions and answers, and select the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy checkbox.

step 5

Click Finish, the account is created, and you are returned to the initial screen (see following screen example)

You will also receive an access code which will be sent to the email that you entered when you created your account. Note: Each time you log in from a new computer/device, you must enter a new access code.

step 6

From the initial screen, enter the email address you used to set up your account and password, and click Login

step 7

Enter the access code you received in your email to access the Dashboard screen

If you have any questions, or would like assistance registering your portal, call our CCPU Provider Resource Center at (888) 583-CCPU (2278) or PRC@ccpuca.org.

Info Sessions Recordings:

July 9 CCPU Retirement Fund Info Session

July 18 CCPU Retirement Fund Info Session

Frequently Asked Questions

Find answers to common questions in the FAQ section below.

Are the benefits from the Retirement Plan taxable income to me?

The State contributions to your Retirement Plan account are not taxable to you until you receive a distribution. There may be distributions options to defer those taxes.

When can I sign up for the Retirement Fund and where can I learn more?

Eligible providers are automatically enrolled in the retirement fund. However, the administrator, Zenith American Solutions, will ask eligible providers to update necessary information. It is important to provide this information so that your records are accurate, and to avoid delays accessing your account.



If you believe you are eligible, but have not received this mail, you may contact the CCPU Provider Resource Center for assistance at (888) 583-CCPU (2278) or PRC@ccpuca.org.

Have more questions?

If you have additional questions, you can call the CCPU Provider Resource Center at 888-583-CCPU (2278) from 9am to 5pm Monday-Friday or email at PRC@ccpuca.org.

WHAT – What benefits does the Retirement Fund expect to offer providers?

Expand the Retirement Fund Benefits Table to see benefits.

 Plan Rules
Eligible participants*

You are eligible to participate in the Retirement Plan for a 2024 contribution if you are:

  • A licensed child care provider
  • Who has been paid 6 or more months of child subsidy in the 2023 calendar year (can be non-consecutive months).
Eligibility for benefit credit for contributions in 2024*You will earn your full service credits for 2023 if you were paid for ten or more months of child subsidy in 2023. If you were paid for 6 or more months of child subsidy, you will receive 60% of your service credits, 70% for 7 months, 80% for 8 months and 90% for 9 months. You will not earn any service credit if you were paid for less than 6 months.
ContributionsThe only contributions to the Retirement Plan will be paid from funding won through the CCPU collective bargaining agreement. The Plan does not accept contributions from you.
Amount of annual employer contributions for 2024 service allocable to participants in 2025*You will earn one full service credit for the State contribution on your behalf in 2025 if you were paid for ten or more months of child subsidy in 2024. If you were paid for 6 to 9 months in 2024, you will receive a pro-rated service credit. You will not earn any service credit if you were paid for less than 6 months in 2024.
VestingYou are “vested” in any contribution correctly made to your account. You do not need to work a minimum number of years before 2024 to be entitled to a benefit.
Distribution events

You can elect to receive your account when:

  • You stop all work as a licensed provider paid for state subsidized child care for 9 consecutive months at any age (“terminate from service”);
  • You stop all work as a licensed provider paid for state subsidized child care for 3 consecutive months at age 60 or older (“retirement”); or
  • You attain age 73, which is the age you are required to start receiving payments, unless you are still working.
Forms of distributions

If you are age 60 or older and stop all work as a licensed provider for 3 consecutive months and elect to retire, you can choose to receive your account balance as:

  • One lump-sum payment
  • Approximately equal monthly payments for 5 years
  • Approximately equal monthly payments for 10 years

If you are younger than age 60 and stop all work as a licensed provider for 9 consecutive months, you can only elect to receive your account as one lump-sum payment.

Death benefitsSince your account is 100% vested, you can designate a beneficiary (or multiple beneficiaries) to receive your account balance if you die before you receive it.
InvestmentsThe Board of Trustees will manage how the Retirement Plan is invested on your behalf, with the assistance of investment professionals.

*Special rules apply to providers where more than one provider is on the payment record.

who

Who is eligible for the Retirement Fund benefits?

State contributions to the Retirement Plan are tied to the child care subsidy program. To be eligible for retirement benefits in 2024, you must be a licensed provider who has have been paid for work with a subsidized child in at least 6 months in 2023-these months do not need to be consecutive. License exempt providers are not eligible; however, if you become licensed in a year, your work in that year may count for eligibility.

when

When will the benefits be available?

Contributions to the Retirement Plan are tied to the child care subsidy program. To be eligible for retirement benefits in 2024, you must be a licensed provider who has have been paid for work with a subsidized child in at least 6 months in 2023-these months do not need to be consecutive. License exempt providers are not eligible; however, if you become licensed in a year, your work in that year may count for eligibility.

how

How can I get help enrolling?

If you are eligible, the Plan will automatically enroll you based on data received by the State of California. You should immediately update your information with the Plan so it has has all of your current information and you receive credit for your years of licensed work.