Professional Musicians and Employers’ Health & Welfare Fund:
In order to ensure that all Employer contributions are properly and timely received and recorded by the Fund, each Participant is responsible for notifying the Fund of engagements they have performed (including date and location) and for which Employer contributions are due to the Fund. Employer contributions that are not received at the close of the Qualifying Period are not “timely,” and will generally not be applied to that Qualifying Period (they are applied prospectively to the next Qualifying Period).
To ensure the timely collection and allocation of all Employer contributions and to avoid the potential of failing to qualify or re-qualify for benefits, the Employee must comply with the following procedures:
- Immediately report all engagements to Local 47 or the Fund by completing a Member Self-Reporting Form. Member Self-Reporting Forms are available at the AFM Local 47 office, the Trust Fund office or the on Fund’s website here — scroll to the bottom of the page for the link to the form & please complete the Form with the date(s) and place(s);
- Request from the Trust Administrator’s Office a list of Employer contributions made on your behalf for that period (the Employer Contribution Report is available only after November 1st);
a) Review the list of Employer contributions for accuracy;
b) Notify the Fund, on or before November 20th if there are any discrepancies. Participants may also be required to provide additional information concerning unreported Employer contributions. This information should, at a minimum, include the (i) dates of the employment for which the Employee claims the Fund should have received Employer contributions; (ii) the name of the Employer(s); and (iii) the amount which the Employee claims the Fund should have received on his/her behalf (all information that can and should be provided to the Fund through the filing of the Form); and
c) Provide the Fund with any additional information to aid in its collection efforts.
Participants who fail to follow the above procedures, may fail to qualify or re-qualify for benefits because they cannot substantiate any claim that additional Employer contributions should appear in that Participant’s Employer contribution records.
IMPORTANT NOTE:
Failing to timely report an engagement or filing a Form with the Fund could result in not qualifying or re-qualifying for benefits. It is the Employee’s responsibility to verify the accuracy of their Employers’ contributions by requesting a copy of their Employer Contribution Statement from the Fund Administrator.
ANNUAL ELIGIBILITY REVIEW PROCEDURES
At the close of the each Qualifying Period (October 2nd), the Fund’s collection and acceptance of Employer contributions continues through the month of October. Eligibility is usually determined by November 1st. A notice of eligibility will be sent to all Participants that have newly qualified or re-qualified at their last known mailing address via the U.S. Postal Service. Participants that have a loss of eligibility will be notified at their last known mailing address via the U.S. Postal Service.
If you have performed under a Local 47 Agreement or an AFM Agreement it is very important that you contact the Fund to advise them of your address and/or to make sure that your address information is current. You might be unaware that you are eligible for coverage due to the Fund’s inability to contact you because the Fund’s records have not been updated with your current contact and mailing information.
Any questions you have about the Fund’s Eligibility Procedures may be directed to the Fund Administrative Office at (818) 243-0222 or (800) 759-3132.
