Our philosophy on our relationships with employees

At Maximus, we thrive on collaboration. We believe that together, through open and honest dialogue, we can achieve more and create a fulfilling work environment for everyone. In our view, bringing in a union to represent this team is not in the best interests of our employees or the culture we are creating together.

Our direct relationship with employees allows us to fully understand their needs, continue to enhance our benefits in the ways that matter to them most, offer career ladders and new and evolving advancement opportunities, and provide a great work environment that meets the unique needs of both our customers and our team members.

We are a team of committed people who believe in building trusting relationships with one another to create the best experience together and for our company.

Two employees having coffee outside

We respect employees’ rights to freedom of association and collective bargaining and it is our responsibility to ensure employees have all the facts about unionization, as we do with any other areas of their employment. We are committed to providing transparent and comprehensive information to help them make informed decisions.

Maximus has a clear position. We believe our employees are best served by working directly with the company and its leadership – not a third party like a union – to address matters of concern.

The Contact Center Operations contract extends its partnership with Maximus to support more than 75 million Americans with access to health insurance through Medicare and the Federal Marketplace.

  • Since 2017, the Communications Workers of America (CWA) has unsuccessfully attempted to organize employees at certain call centers operated on behalf of the federal government.
  • CWA is actively spreading falsehoods and misinformation about Maximus and using its influence through the NewsGuild-CWA union and other union supporters. Reports about Maximus, backed by the union, are largely comprised of cherry-picked citations and sources – some nearly 20 years old.
  •  In addition to spreading misleading details and misinformation, CWA stage protests with non-employees, show up uninvited to people’s homes, or send unsolicited text messages.
  • These activities do not reflect the overwhelming majority of our employees.

Our direct relationship defined

When we refer to a “direct relationship” or similar terms to describe our preferred way of working with employees, we are not implying that this relationship would cease to exist if employees chose to be represented by a labor union. However, it is important to acknowledge that the nature of the relationship would change.

Under the National Labor Relations Act, employees would still have the right to meet with their supervisor or manager to address workplace issues if a union were present. However, in such cases, the union would need to be informed in advance and afforded the opportunity to participate in these discussions. This added procedural step introduces a different dynamic to these interactions. We believe that a direct, private relationship fosters a more open and efficient dialogue, which is why it remains our preferred approach.

Why SCA reform is needed

Maximus has improved work processes and safety, improved pay and compensation, and reduced employees’ out-of-pocket healthcare expenses; however, employee wages and benefits are hamstrung by the outdated provisions of the McNamara-O’Hara Service Contract Act of 1965, which hasn’t been updated since 1976, almost 50 years ago.

The McNamara-O’Hara Service Contract Act of 1965 requires contractors and subcontractors performing services on prime contracts to pay service employees in various classes no less than the wage rates and fringe benefits found prevailing in the locality. Simply, this means SCA wage determinations establish a floor beneath which federal contractor pay cannot go and also a ceiling.

These outdated provisions, under which we operate, constrain the wages and benefits that federal contractors can provide. We continue to urge Congress and the Biden Administration to modernize the SCA for the benefit of federal contract workers across the nation.

SCA updates that are urgently needed include aligning health benefits with ACA health plans, addressing wage compression for jobs paying above the minimum wage, and adjusting wage rules so teleworkers can be paid prevailing wages based on where they live instead of where the business is located.

  • Read more about prevailing wage laws are in need of an overhaul.
  • Read more about calls for higher wages reveal deeper questions of contractor pay.
Employee listening

Good Jobs Principles 

In 2022, the Department of Labor (DOL) launched a Good Jobs Initiative and published Good Jobs Principles. How do the jobs in federal call centers run by Maximus measure up?

DOL Definition: Qualified applicants are actively recruited — especially those from underserved communities. Applicants are free from discrimination, including unequal treatment or application of selection criteria that are unrelated to job performance. Applicants are evaluated with relevant skills-based requirements. Unnecessary educational, credentials, and experience requirements are minimized. 

Maximus Record: Recruiting, hiring, and retaining a diverse workforce reflecting the communities and programs we serve is a core value. Maximus maintains and continually refines its approaches to attract diverse talent at all organizational levels, including programs like The Greater Impact Experience collaborative with HBCUs, partnerships with HSI on skills development, and the DiversABILITY initiative supporting Veterans and individuals with disabilities. These efforts go beyond simply complying with Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and other legal requirements to which Maximus adheres.

DOL Definition: Full-time and part-time workers are provided family-sustaining benefits that promote economic security and mobility. These include health insurance, a retirement plan, workers’ compensation benefits, work-family benefits such as paid leave and caregiving supports, and others that may arise from engagement with workers. Workers are empowered and encouraged to use these benefits.  

Maximus Record: Maximus is committed to the health and financial wellness of our employees. Hourly workers receive no premium medical insurance and subsidized dependent coverage. We also offer free benefits covering physical, financial, and emotional wellbeing. Additional benefits include a company-matched 401(k), paid time off, sick leave, and an employee assistance program. Each year, Maximus responds to employee and competitive interests, which included offering free telehealth services, adding domestic partner coverage and further reducing deductibles in 2024.

DOL Definition: All workers have equal opportunity. Workers are respected, empowered, and treated fairly. Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) is a core value and practiced norm in the workplace. Individuals from underserved communities do not face systemic barriers in the workplace. 

Maximus Record: In 2023, women made up 73% of our total workforce, including 63% in mid-management and 45% in executive roles. People of Color represent 66% of employees, 50% of mid-level managers, and 23% of executives. Maximus ranked #13 in Forbes’ 2023 list of Best Employers for Diversity. We invite you to visit our DE&I webpage, read our DE&I framework, review our Racial Equity Audit, and our Sustainability Report to learn more.

DOL Definition: Workers can form and join unions. Workers can engage in protected, concerted activity without fear of retaliation. Workers contribute to decisions about their work, how it is performed, and organizational direction. 

Maximus Record: Maximus respects every employee’s right to organize. We never impede their ability to exercise that right. To date, our employees have overwhelmingly chosen not to unionize. We respect our employees’ right to make this choice freely, without influence from the company. Maximus remains committed to providing all employees a voice through open communication, regular feedback mechanisms, and a culture of mutual respect.

DOL Definition: Workers have a safe, healthy, and accessible workplace, built on input from workers and their representatives. Workers have job security without arbitrary or discriminatory discipline or dismissal. They have adequate hours and predictable schedules. The use of electronic monitoring, data, and algorithms is transparent, equitable, and carefully deployed with input from workers. Workers are free from harassment, discrimination, and retaliation at work. Workers are properly classified under applicable laws. Temporary or contractor labor solutions are minimized. 

Maximus Record: The safety and wellbeing of our employees is paramount. We maintain strict zero-tolerance policies prohibiting any form of discrimination, harassment, or retaliation, with regular training for all employees. Our dedicated Health & Safety team ensures all workplaces meet or exceed OSHA standards. During the pandemic, we implemented extensive protocols to protect on-site staff, provided an education campaign with a licensed physician, and enabled over 60% of our workforce to work remotely. 

DOL Definition: All workers belong, are valued, contribute meaningfully to the organization, and are engaged and respected especially by leadership.  

Maximus Record: Our culture is built on six core values: Accountability, Collaboration, Compassion, Customer Focus, Innovation, and Respect. These are reinforced constantly through communications, events, recognition programs, and leadership modeling the values every day. In our 2023 employee survey, 84% said they intend to stay at Maximus for at least the next year. We strive to ensure every employee feels valued and engaged. 

DOL Definition: All workers are paid a stable and predictable living wage before overtime, tips, and commissions. Workers’ pay is fair, transparent, and equitable. Workers’ wages increase with increased skills and experience. 

Maximus Record: As required by the McNamara Service Contract Act, which determines wages for covered workers, all Maximus workers are paid a stable and predictable living wage before overtime, tips, and commissions. Workers’ pay is fair, transparent, and equitable. Wages increase with increased skills and experience. We enthusiastically supported the Biden Federal Contractor Minimum Wage order and have consistently advocated for reforms to the SCA that would allow us to further enhance employee wages and benefits. 

DOL Definition: Workers have equitable opportunities and tools to progress to future good jobs within their organizations or outside them. Workers have transparent promotion or advancement opportunities. Workers have access to quality employer- or labor-management provided training and education. 

Maximus Record: Maximus invests heavily in our employees’ career development, offering robust job skills training, leadership development programs, online learning platforms, tuition assistance, and mentoring opportunities. In 2023, employees completed over 1 million hours of training. The majority of management roles are filled through internal promotion. In our annual employee survey, 84% of staff reported being aware of learning opportunities and 72% said the programs equipped them well for their roles. 

In short, Maximus goes beyond just meeting the Department of Labor’s Good Jobs Principles; we exceed the standards in areas like hiring, employee benefits, diversity, worker empowerment, job security, workplace culture, fair pay, and opportunities for career growth. We focus on hiring a diverse group of people, offering strong benefits, and maintaining a workplace where respect and empowerment are key. Our commitment to ensuring a safe, fair, inclusive, and supportive work environment is clear from our policies and the positive feedback we receive from our staff. 

Addressing union claims with facts

As we navigate through ongoing discussions about unionization, it's crucial that you have access to accurate and transparent information. Recently, several claims have been made about our workplace practices and policies. We believe it's important to address these claims directly, so you can have a clear picture of the situation.

There’s just no truth to the claim that most Maximus employees are unhappy or poorly treated.  Here’s a factual breakdown of some of the other key issues that the union has raised:

Claim: Maximus workers staged the largest federal call center strike in history.

FACT: The last “strike” at Maximus lasted less than 3 hours and the union catered it with a BBQ lunch and paid many attendees to show up. It's also important to clarify that Maximus has never experienced a service interruption – not from the pandemic, weather events, or labor demonstrations. The demonstrations that have occurred have seen only a small number of Maximus employees and have not impacted our service quality or availability, as confirmed by the performance metrics required by CMS. Many of the non-employee participants have, in fact, been CWA members from other companies that are paid and brought in to join the event.

For example, over the last four demonstrations at one location, only four Maximus employees have attended all of the events and only 0.62% of all CCO staff have participated. This shows an almost universal disinterest by our staff to form or join a union.

Claim: The NLRB is investigating multiple unfair labor practice charges against Maximus.

FACT: Filing legal claims against a company is a very common union tactic during a corporate campaign. It’s makes a company look like it’s breaking the law! But let’s dig into the facts.

Starting around 2019, the CWA began filing legal charges, called Unfair Labor Practice (ULP) charges, against Maximus. But they lost. So, they tried again. And lost. Again and again, they tried to win a charge against Maximus, again and again they lost. They lost 10 times in a row. Finally, the CWA decided on a “hit and run” tactic: They would file a ULP charge but keep the facts really fuzzy and apparently never pursue the claim. That’s what’s been happening since about 2022: A ULP charge is filed and just its there with zero progress. Why do we think that? The average amount of time to investigate a ULP is 7 to 14 weeks. Maximus has ULP’s going back over two years. Yes, ULP’s have been filed against Maximus but it is equally true that Maximus has never been found liable on any ULP charge. Not a single one.   

Claim: Maximus call center workers have repeatedly gone on strike due to poor working conditions.

FACT: Our internal surveys, conducted independently by PricewaterhouseCoopers, show a different picture: 76% of our employees, including those at call centers, would recommend Maximus as a great place to work, and 86% plan to stay with the company for another 12 months. The survey responses and feedback from employees do not support the narrative that Maximus has poor working conditions.

Additionally, every year, we publish an Employee Engagement and Company Culture report on our website. These reports outline our Global Employee Engagement Survey results, our culture of feedback, our commitment to learning and development, DEI, and other initiatives.

Claim: There is racial inequity at Maximus.

FACT: We are proud of our diverse and inclusive work environment, but we always have room to improve. We will continue investing in our DE&I initiatives and in our employees because we understand that our strength lies in our differences and our desire to have an equitable and inclusive workplace.

Our workforce is comprised of 73% women, with substantial representation of People of Color across all levels of the company, including leadership positions. For example, our first and mid-level management positions are about 51% People of Color. Within the CCO specifically, all non-management promotions were approximately 75% diverse candidates, and management-level promotions were about 72%. You can read more about our DEI efforts in our 2023 report.

Also, Maximus was ranked #13 on Forbes’ 2023 Best Employers for Diversity list. Forbes compiles the list annually, researching and reviewing each company’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DE&I) best practices and conducting anonymous employee surveys.

Claim: Maximus pay is below a living wage.

FACT: CWA misuses and distorts information from the MIT Living Wage Calculator to fit a narrative for employees in Mississippi.

The MIT calculator, used at the time of the report, provided living wage estimates for twelve different household types, showing significant variations depending on the household details. The report in question has chosen to use the estimate for a one-earner, one-child household type, which is $31.48 in Mississippi. This figure, however, does not represent the most common household type according to the U.S. Census Bureau data for the area, which suggests that the two-earner, one-child household type, with a living wage estimate of $17.62, is more appropriate.

Additionally, the MIT tool indicates that the living wage for a call center worker in Forrest County, MS should be $33,363 annually. In comparison, the minimum annual, non-bonused wages for a full-time Maximus employee in the same location is slightly higher at $33,696. A market wage survey also shows that the median advertised wage for a call center representative in Forrest County is $14.95, which is about $2.25 lower than the minimum wage offered by Maximus. This data underscores that Maximus' wage offerings are competitive within the local market context.

Maximus offers a higher starting wage for entry-level or early-career professional services roles in the markets in which we operate. We also exceed our obligations to employees under the Service Contract Act through a mix of benefits offerings and employee options to obtain health and welfare benefits.

A recent view of CWA’s District 3 labor agreement with AT&T, which was effective on February 11, 2023, shows that the starting wage the CWA negotiated with the company for a CSR is $420 a week, which is $10.50 an hour. This is well below our starting wage of $17.20. We also looked at several employment sites, such as Glassdoor, and found that the average pay range is between $13.94 and $20.19 an hour.  

Claim: Staff only get six minutes a day to use the bathroom.

FACT: Maximus offers flexible break and leave options to accommodate the needs of its employees. In addition to their 15-minute breaks and meal period, employees and their managers partner together for any potential scheduling accommodations that are needed based on the employee’s circumstances. All employees have the flexibility to request a bathroom break at any time during their shift.

We hope this information helps clarify some of the misconceptions that have been circulating. We are committed to maintaining an open and honest dialogue. If you have any questions or need further information, please do not hesitate to reach out. We value your hard work and dedication and are here to support you every step of the way.