802 Notes
Pension Protection, Landolfi - Pay the Band! ,  Alert! April 14, 2008
Pension Fund Procedures Seek To Protect  Assets And Future Retirees
 

The Pension Reform Act of 2006 modified tax law to allow participants in 401k and 403B plans to begin withdrawals at age 62 and continue working for the same employer. It also allowed pension plans like ours to adopt a similar rule should the obligation to be fiscally prudent allow for this more generous benefit. The AFM-EPF trustees declined to make that early retirement benefit change in order to protect the benefit multiplier which affects all participants.

 

The Fund instituted new procedures as of April 1, 2008 to verify early retirement eligibility.  The procedures are explained in detail in the most recent issue of Pension Fund Notes which is online.

 

Eligibility Rules

The rules of the American Federation of Musicians and Employers Pension Fund and ERISA have always required that you retire in order to receive a benefit before reaching the normal retirement age.  This has not changed.

 

Musicians taking an early retirement benefit must do no work for a contributing employer for at least 60 days following the retirement date.

For example: if you retire from a Broadway show you must do no covered work for at least 60 days. If after that period you change your mind about retirement and are contacted by a different employer, you may resume work and still collect a pension.  

Enforcement Methods

The eligibility rules are the same as in prior years but they will be more strictly enforced going forward.  For example, if you retire from a tenured position your employer will be contacted to confirm your last date of employment, that you have actually retired and are not expected to return.

 

For a very long time the overwhelming number of private and public pension funds have required such a statement from employers before starting benefit payments in order to protect against the fraudulent collection of benefits. This verification process is new for our pension fund but is standard operating procedure in the world of pensions.

 

 As of April 1 this year the contribution records will also be monitored to ensure that the 60 day rule is observed.  The early retirement eligibility rules have not changed but the processes the Pension Fund goes through to monitor compliance with the rules have been tightened up. The details are here: Pension Fund Notes

Delivering The  Message:
Time To Pay The Band !
 

Local 802 President Mary Landolfi and AFM political director Hal Ponder met with long time New York Westside Congressman Jerrold Nadler in his Washington DC office last Thursday to press for the congressman's support for the Radio Fairness Act. This bill requires US radio owners to pay royalties to session musicians. As a result of this meeting the Congressman will now become a co-sponsor of the Radio Fairness Act. 

 

Click here for the The AFL- CIO's statement on Radio Fairness:  and to see the AFL-CIO blog item sent to thousands of Union activists and officers across the nation about Radio Fairness.

 
Should you have questions or comments about 802 NOTES please don't hesitate to call Joel LeFevre at 212 245-4802 x197 or send an e-mail to 802notes@local802afm.org
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Organizing Alert 
 

 The Chamber Orchestra of New York has announced on its Web site that its next performance is May 24. In a previous performance, musicians were not paid until three months after the job and only after intervention from Local 802.

 

In the end, musicians were paid the equivalent of half union scale without pension or health. However, now Local 802 is attempting to unionize the orchestra's May 24 performance. Should you decide to accept this engagement, please call Senior Concert Rep Karen Fisher at (212) 245-4802, ext. 174. Only with your help can we succeed. Calls are confidential.