Resources for the Film Community during C-19

Dear Members of IATSE Local 490 and the MN Film Community,
 
With all the federal and state governments covid-19 bills (Care Act) coming into effect. I wanted to send out this email regarding unemployment and other information that might be useful.
 

Unemployment, Small Businesses.
Unemployment now lets you file with 1099’s when filing. Below is the link for more information that IATSE Local 13 sent out. This has a lot of great information to help.
https://springboardforthearts.org/resources-access/legal-assistance/coronavirus/
The federal government is adding an extra payment a week on top of the state’s unemployment.
Remember you must file every week. They have certain days to file based on the last digit of your social security number.
If you have any questions, please contact us. We are here to help.
 
Rent:
You may be eligible for other types of help. Please contact your landlord for more information.
 
Mortgages and Rent:
If you are affected by covid-19/CAREs act you might be eligible for to receive a mortgage forbearance.
https://www.nerdwallet.com/blog/mortgages/lenders-mortgage-help-covid-19/
https://www.npr.org/2020/03/19/818343720/homeowners-hurt-financially-by-the-coronavirus-may-get-a-mortgage-break?utm_campaign=storyshare&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_medium=social
 
Student Loans:
Federal student loans are coved under the covid 19/CAREs act. They have automatically put your loans in forbearance until September 30th, 2020. You will be able to still pay, and the payment(s) will go straight to your principal balance.
https://www.studentloanborrowerassistance.org/what-the-cares-act-means-for-repayment-of-federal-student-loans/
 
Bills:
You maybe able to get some help with other bills. Contact your bill provider to see how they can help. It never hurts to ask.
 
Health Insurance – 
If you get your health insurance through the IATSE National Benefits Fund,
they have taken steps to make it easier to keep your insurance while you’re not working. There
are now options to keep your insurance through the 3rd quarter even if you don’t have enough
funds in your CAPP account. You can find more details here:
https://www.iatsenbf.org/assets/IMPROVEMENTS-TO-HEALTH-ELIGIBILITY-COVID-003.pdf
 
Mental Health:

The Behind the Scenes Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Initiative, in partnership with HelpPRO, announces the launch of the Entertainment Industry Therapist Finder. The Finder only includes listings for mental health professionals who have previously worked with clients in the entertainment industry or who have personal professional experience in the industry themselves.
Users are able to search for a therapist using a simple search form which includes location, insurance accepted, what areas the therapist specializes in, and therapist availability such as whether they see clients remotely or on nights and weekends. An advanced search is available which also includes such criteria as theoretical approaches, credentials held by the therapist, specific populations they have experience with, and languages spoken. Both searches indicate whether the therapist is accepting new clients.
The Entertainment Industry Therapist Finder has been developed in response to an industry survey conducted last fall. The results revealed just how prevalent the problem of finding therapists who understand something about the unique culture and stresses of the entertainment industry is. Many respondents expressed frustration with therapists who consistently made suggestions that were unrealistic given the long working hours and employment challenges so many in our industry face. They also expressed the difficulty of scheduling appointments with therapists who kept only 9 to 5 office hours.
If you know of a therapist with the required experience, please tell them about the finder and ask them to register at btshelp.org/therapist_registration or email their contact info to mh@btshelp.org and we will reach out to them. We will continue to actively recruit therapists for the finder that meet the industry’s needs.
Behind the Scenes has come together with other concerned organizations and individuals to create the Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Initiative. A series of tools and resources has been developed to not only help you but also assist you in helping your colleagues. Find links to resources, the online self-assessment tool, and information about the initiative and programs at btshelp.org/mentalhealth. Follow @BeScene_BTS for more information.

Stimulus check:
If you filed your taxes and had direct deposit it will be directly deposited into your account. You may have already received the check.
If you haven’t or not had direct deposit connected to your taxes you can check when you will get it here:
https://www.irs.gov/coronavirus/economic-impact-payments

COVD-19 RESOURCES:
American Federation of Musicians: https://www.afm.org/covid-19/

Directors Guild of America: https://www.dga.org/The-Guild/Coronavirus-Resources-and-Updates.aspx

International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees: https://www.iatse.net/coronavirus-update-portal

International Brotherhood of Teamsters: https://teamster.org/covid-19

SAG-AFTRA: http://www.sagaftra.org/covid19

Writers Guild of America East: https://www.wgaeast.org/covid19/

https://iatsecares.org/
 
Safety Training:
With having this down time, it is a great time to complete your Union safety and harassment training.

Click here to fill out the TTF Safety First Online Courses application online →
 
The TTF Safety First! Online Courses © promote safe working conditions by providing information, tools, and resources to recognize potential hazards and minimize risks. Case studies from the various crafts are included, making the curriculum relevant across the IATSE workforce. Click here to learn more about Safety First →

LinkedIn Learning
Click here to fill out the LinkedIn Learning application online →
LinkedIn Learning is a self-guided learning platform with over 15,000 online courses on all types of topics and software. Free LinkedIn Learning Subscriptions are available to active IATSE members and those working under an IATSE agreement. Click here to learn more about LinkedIn Learning →

In solidarity,
Bryan Bredahl
Secretary
IATSE Local 490