Wage Replacement 

Wage Replacement through the Education Fund allows employees of select employer partners to reduce their work schedule by 16 hours per pay period in order to:

  • attend classes
  • study
  • participate in a clinical or internship experience

all while continuing to receive a full paycheck! Participants receive payments from the Education Fund for the hours they reduce. (Lifetime cap of $10,000 per employee may apply.) Plus, academic support is available on a limited basis through Tutor.com. This service offers live one-on-one tutoring for approved classes for select participants. (Inquire with your career counselor.)

Approved Programs

Wage Replacement supports a variety of degree, certificate and/or training programs in direct patient care careers and also in administrative (non-direct patient care) careers. Programs will be considered for support as long as it will lead to a position that currently exists at the eligible member’s employer. The following is a list of some but not all, of the programs that are supported by Wage Replacement:

  • LVN/LPN
  • Medical Assistant
  • Patient Care Technician
  • Certified Nursing Assistant
  • Surgical Tech
  • Diagnostic Imaging: Rad Tech
  • Coding
  • Sterile Processing
  • Mental Health
  • IT and Non-Clinical Pathways

When to Apply

The Education Fund is now accepting applications for the Wage Replacement program for eligible Kaiser Permanente Northwest and Kaiser Permanente Colorado members. Please note: There is limited availability for this program. Applications will be accepted until all available spaces are filled. Once the spaces are filled the application will be closed.

Acceptance into the Wage Replacement program isn’t guaranteed.

Eligibility Criteria

To qualify for Wage Replacement you must meet the following criteria:

  • Be a Kaiser Permanente Northwest or Kaiser Permanente Colorado employee represented by an SEIU bargaining unit.
    • (Please Note – Wage Replacement applications for Kaiser Permanente California, Planned Parenthood Columbia Willamette and Legacy Health System employees have reached capacity and are not currently being accepted. Members will be notified once Wage Replacement applications reopen for these employers.)
  • Have completed your probationary period.
  • Be full-time or part-time and benefited, working 20 hours or more per week. (On-call and per diem employees are not eligible.)
  • Have your manager’s approval to reduce your hours.
  • Currently attending classes in an academic degree, certificate or training program at an accredited institution when you submit the online application.
  • Verification must include:
    – Learner name
    – Current semester or quarter
    – Educational provider watermark or logo must be on the document
    – Program start and end dates
    – Academic program name
    (Examples include: an unofficial transcript, letter from Student Services or Registrar’s Office)
  • Will complete your program no later than December 31, 2024.
  • Your classes are offered either on-site or online (self-paced programs are not supported)
  • Start reducing your hours immediately or within 30 days of acceptance to the Wage Replacement program. (If this isn’t possible, please apply during the next application period.)

Please see the Application Details PDF for important information about required documentation, including the Manager/Employee Agreement Form.

How to Apply

If you meet the above Eligibility criteria to apply for this program, you must schedule an appointment with your Education Fund Career Counselor. You can make an appointment via MyEdFund, our secure, online member portal.

Please see the Application Details PDF for instructions on how to schedule the Meet Your Career Counselor appointment.

Apply Now