Multiple LORT contracts and Health Insurance Weeks

[smccain]

I have the opportunity to PSM 2 musicals back to back this summer under LORT-D contracts. There is some overlap between the two shows, where I will be in rehearsals for show #2 while in performances for show #1. From start to finish, it comes to 11 weeks. (If I count the week prior to rehearsals for pre-production. Those count for health insurance weeks, right?) Do I get double weeks for the overlapping weeks? Each show rehearses for 3 weeks and performs for 3 weeks.

I want to qualify for health insurance through the union. Will that happen with these two shows, or if I'll just have to go without until I get one more week under a contract?

I'm going to be moving into the realm of full-time freelancing, so the insurance questions is important since I will be leaving a full-time day job with insurance to take these shows.

Any help you can provide is much appreciated! Thanks!

[VSM]

As far as I understand the LORT rules, no, you do not get a double Health contribution for any overlapping weeks. There is a category of pay (Rule 54 SALARIES) for LORT in rep but no mention of a double Health contribution.

Check with your region's AEA office and speak with the LORT Business Rep to be sure.

[loebtmc]

check w your rep - but a key factor is if they are separate contracts.

[MatthewShiner]

Check with you business rep contract in hand . . .

I have heard of several options . . . .

1) You are employed 12 weeks total, you get 12 weeks Salary + 12 Weeks Pension + 12 Weeks health car.

2) You are employed 7 weeks on one contract, 7 weeks on another contract (but the still the entire contract covers only 12 calendar weeks), have had people paid 14 weeks + 14 weeks pension + 14 weeks healthcare.

3) And this one, which I always found odd You are employed 7 weeks on one contract, 7 weeks on another contract (but the still the entire contract covers only 12 calendar weeks), have had people paid 14 weeks + BUT JUST 12 weeks pension + 12 weeks healthcare. 

But, it all depends on the contract.

Also, remember, I believe you 12 weeks to qualify for 6 months insurance - and there s a very complicated process, so that even if you got the 12 weeks, it could be up to six months AFTER that until the insurance kicks in.  Read the health insurance information at http://www.equityleague.org/

[smccain]

Thanks for all the help, everyone. The situation has changed completely. Got offered a Special Appearance contract that will add the needed weeks for health insurance.

Matthew, I'll have to check into that with a rep. I hadn't heard of anything other than the 12 or 20 weeks.

I'm definitely quitting my day job and making the shift to full-time stage management. I've lined up work for the next 5 months. Here goes nothing...

[babens]

In terms of when health insurance kicks in it will all depend on where in the calendar your weeks fall. If all 12 weeks fell into one of the calendar quarters (Jan-March/April-June/July-Sept/Oct-Dec) then your insurance should kick in in about three months, if you choose to take the six months of coverage and not hold out to get a full year of coverage.  So say you got all 12 weeks in during the April-June window, you would be eligible to start coverage in the Oct-Dec quarter. However, if your weeks overlap into two quarters (say starting in the April-June quarter but not finishing until sometime in the July-Sept quarter) it is possible that you would not actually be eligible until January of the next year, just because when they do the look back to see who is eligible to be covered for the Oct-Dec quarter you may not have actually earned all of your weeks yet.

And, no matter when you do end up being eligible for coverage, congratulations on getting those weeks! It's a great feeling to know that you have that coming your way (I know that feeling well; at the end of my current contract I'll have my weeks to be covered through the end of 2013!)