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The Legislature Must Stand with Child Care Providers

Olga Aguilar, Long Beach

Being a child care provider today is extremely difficult. Watch the news, and you will understand why. The cost of living is through the roof forcing family child care providers like me to sacrifice even more to care for the children in our communities.

I serve three hot, nutritious meals every day and drop school aged children off at school in the morning and pick them up in the afternoon – time and gas money that goes uncompensated. And this is only a small piece of  my daily expenses – when it’s hot in the summer and my AC dies or a storm comes through and knocks down my fence I have ended up drowning in debt I’m not sure I can dig myself out of.

And this work is exhausting both physically and mentally – I have days where I just don’t know if I can continue but I know the children I care for deserve for me to be at my best so I put on a smile and give them the best, knowing my union is fighting to make this work sustainable for ALL providers in the state..

And I continue to do this work because I care for and love these kids. I care for their families and see them as an extension of mine. I have experienced the same struggles they face daily – figuring out where to cut back just to get food on the table, opening new credit cards when they’re between jobs and rent comes due. I am proud of the care I provide and the community I have been able to build out of my home. It is the best job and the reason I get out of bed every morning, but it is not easy. 

I am voting YES on our tentative agreement with the state because with it, I finally see a light at the end of the tunnel. Continued reimbursement by enrollment, not attendance, will allow me to sleep easier at night knowing that a bad cold going around the kids won’t leave me scrambling to pay my bills. And the path we now have towards reaching the true cost of care has filled me with hope that we will finally be paid what we’re worth. This work is not easy and the fight is hard but when we see results like this, I know it’s worth it.

La legislatura debe apoyar a las proveedoras

Olga Aguilar, Long Beach

Ser proveedora de cuidado infantil hoy en día es extremadamente difícil. Mira las noticias, y entenderás por qué. El costo de vida obliga a las proveedoras de cuidado infantil familiar como yo a sacrificarse aún más para cuidar a los niños en nuestras comunidades.

Sirvo tres comidas calientes y nutritivas todos los días y llevó a la escuela a los niños en edad escolar por la mañana y los recojo por la tarde – el tiempo y el gasto de la gasolina no se compensan. Y esto es solo un pedazo de mis gastos diarios – cuando hace calor en el verano y mi aire acondicionado muere o una tormenta viene y derriba mi cerca, he terminado ahogándome en una deuda de la que no estoy segura de poder salir. 

Y este trabajo es agotador tanto física como mentalmente – tengo días en los que simplemente no se si puedo continuar, pero se que los niños que cuido merecen que yo esté en mi mejor momento, así que me pongo una sonrisa y trato de darles lo mejor, sabiendo que mi unión está luchando para hacer este trabajo sostenible para TODOS las proveedoras en el estado.

Y continuó haciendo este trabajo porque cuido y amo a estos niños. Cuido de sus familias y las veo como una extensión mía. He experimentado las mismas dificultades que enfrentan a diario – averiguar dónde recortar solo para conseguir comida en la mesa, abrir nuevas tarjetas de crédito cuando están entre el trabajo y cuando se entrega la renta. Estoy orgullosa del cuidado y atención que brindo y de la comunidad que he podido construir desde mi hogar. Es el mejor trabajo y la razón por la que me levanto de la cama todas las mañanas, pero no es fácil.

Voy a votar SI sobre nuestro acuerdo provisional con el Estado porque con él, finalmente veo una luz al final del túnel. El reembolso continuo por inscripción, no por asistencia, me permitirá dormir más fácilmente por la noche sabiendo que un resfriado fuerte que rodea a los niños no me dejara luchando para pagar mis cuentas. Y el camino que tenemos ahora para alcanzar el verdadero costo de la atención me ha llenado de esperanza de que finalmente se nos pagara lo que valemos. Este trabajo no es fácil y la lucha es dura pero cuando vemos resultados como este, vale la pena. 

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.