By standing together as a union, CHA housestaff have won:
✓ higher wages
✓ improved benefits
✓ better working conditions
Contract Highlights & Organizing
Benefits
Your negotiated benefits include: legal services, prescription, vision, dental, hearing, mental health, supplemental benefits, Employee Assistance Program, disability, life insurance, education, childcare, and COBRA.
Salary & Additional Pay
Market adjustments: 13.5% (PGY1–4), 10.5% (PGY5), 10% (PGY6–7)
Additional increases: 2% (Jan/Jul ’25), 1.5% (Jan/Jul ’26), $2K lump sums (Jan ’26, ’27)
Chief Stipends: $3K/yr (FM), $500/yr (Podiatry)
Holiday: 1/5 salary (8+ hrs) or 1/10 (4-7.9 hrs)
Emergency Coverage: $250 (weeknight), $350 (weekend/holiday day), $450 (night)
Orientation paid at PGY level
Wellness & Protections
Extended-hours mental healthcare (covered by CHA insurance)
Self-defense training (paid release time and covered costs)
On-call meals provided
Due Process Protection: If you find yourself in a disciplinary process, you have the right to union representation.
Leave & Facility
Paid leave: 4 weeks vacation, 5 days bereavement, 2 personal days
Additional protections: FMLA, parental, disability, military, jury duty
Dedicated resident/fellow lounges
Guaranteed lactation spaces
Education
Annual stipends: $2,000 (House Officers/Podiatry), $2,150 (Dentistry), $2,300 (Fellows)
For books, boards, conferences, software & professional development
Transportation
Uber Rideshare Benefit: For inter-site travel and safe transport after long shifts
Any changes to Uber use subject to CIR input
Patient Care Trust Fund
$45,000 annually for CIR house staff–led patient care improvements or health equity projects
Legal Benefits
Review of your post-residency employment contract by a participating lawyer at the discounted rate of $400.
Discounted Post-Residency Contract Review form – view eligible states
FREE consultation on an immigration matter with a cooperating immigration attorney.
Due Process
If you find yourself in a disciplinary process or facing a contract violation, you have the right to union representation.
Regional Vice Presidents
Jamie Ye
Psychiatry, Cambridge Health Alliance
Lucia Ryll
ENT, Boston Medical Center
Justin Halloran
Psychiatry, Cambridge Health Alliance
Safwan Elkhatib
Anesthesiology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital
Natalia Forbath, MD
Family Medicine Boston Medical Canter
Delegates
Caitlin Foster, Psychiatry
Jamie Ye, Psychiatry
Jamie Baik, Psychiatry
Jesse Bossingham, Internal Medicine
CIR Updates
Connect with your Organizer
Questions about your contract? Want to get involved? Please fill in the information below and we’ll be in touch:
