Benefits

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One of the primary reason freelancers came together to form Local 305 was to gain access to health and retirement benefits. For every hour you work as a freelancer for a contracted employer, a contribution is paid into a fund to provide direct benefits to you. These payments are a personal benefit on which you do not pay income tax. Each employer pays an hourly amount towards healthcare, a percentage into a retirement annuity and a daily rate towards a retirement pension. 

Membership in the Union is not required to receive these benefits. Employer contributions are made for ALL employees for ALL work performed under the Collective Bargaining Agreement ("CBA").

The IATSE self manages these benefits through the National Benefit Fund ("NBF").  The NBF is a non-profit company that administers the funds contributed by the employers on our behalf. A board of trustees, that includes the IATSE and contributing employers, govern the NBF. It is a separate company than the IATSE union.  Their website at www.iatsenbf.org can be very helpful finding information about the benefits IATSE provides. All questions or problems concerning these benefits should be directed to the NBF by calling them at 1-800-456-FUND (3863).

It is your responsibility to inform the National Benefit Fund office of any change in your contact information or any change in your family status. If you move, change your marital status, or change your name, you must inform the NBF of the change. Your employer or this union cannot handle this for you.

The information below is a brief overview of how the health insurance plan works. A much more complete explanation of the provisions can be found at www.iatsenbf.org.

HEALTH INSURANCE

Each hour you work, your employer contributes on your behalf an hourly rate that is directly deposited into an account for your use in paying healthcare premiums. The account into which funds are paid is called the health and welfare CAPP account. (CAPP is an acronym for "Contributions Against Premium Payments.")  these funds are held for your exclusive benefit to pay health insurance premiums and other health care expenses.

The NBF offers four levels of health care as well as a medical reimbursement plan (for those participants who have existing coverage). Each plan has a quarterly cost to participate.

There are four levels of health care coverage as well as a medical reimbursement plan. IATSE 305 participates with the NBF Plan C. Within Plan C, there are plans C-1, C-2, C-3, C-4 . More detailed information is provided at the NBF website.