Health insurance for private music teachers? Yes!

802 NOTES: the electronic newsletter of Local 802

This edition: Jan. 25, 2011

Address comments to: 802notes@Local802afm.org

If you teach private lessons, and if you're a member of Local 802, you may be eligible for the union's health plan. For the most basic family plan, you just need to receive $139 a week in private lessons income, and the health contribution costs would be $94.45 per month.

How is this possible? Usually, the only way to participate in the Local 802 health insurance plans is to play a union gig that's under a collective bargaining agreement. But LS-1 contracts and Music Service Agreements offer the private teacher or freelance musician the opportunity to collect pension and take advantage of Local 802's health benefit plan. Your private students just sign a simple contract that allows them to make contributions towards your health (and pension, if you like). You can use the same form to make contributions for other gigs, like weddings, clinics, etc.

Click here for more information. (This is a sneak preview of an article to appear in the upcoming February issue of Allegro!)

Want to learn more? Local 802 will present clinics on how to file LS-1 and Music Service contracts on Jan. 26, Feb. 1, Feb. 2, Feb. 8, Feb. 9 and Feb. 14. Each clinic is at 4 p.m. in the third floor conference room at Local 802 (322 West 48th Street). RSVP with Bettina Covo at (212) 245-4802, ext. 152 or by clicking here.

If you are a Broadway musician and your show closes, can you apply for unemployment? Yes. While you are collecting unemployment, can you sub on other Broadway shows, teach lessons, and play other freelance gigs? Yes, but your unemployment check may be reduced.

What if you're a club date musician and your leader or office hasn't booked you on a wedding gig in months? Can you apply for unemployment in that case?

Musicians are considered unemployed or partially unemployed as long as they have no specific offers of work. So if you're a club date musician and have no "specific offers of work," you are eligible for unemployment benefits.

What if your orchestra is involved in a labor dispute, and you find yourself locked out or on strike? Can you apply for unemployment benefits then? If you are locked out, you may receive unemployment benefits immediately. If you are on strike, it's more uncertain and it depends on the circumstances. Sometimes there are disputes about whether a situation is a lockout or a strike. For instance, members of the Louisville Orchestra members were denied unemployment benefits by a court, which ruled that they were not locked out but rather on strike.

For more information on how musicians and unemployment benefits, click here to read a story written by Local 802's counsel Harvey Mars with the Workers Defense Fund.

Next week (Feb. 1, 2012) is the tenth anniversary of the death of Daniel Pearl, the journalist who was murdered in Pakistan. His family created a foundation to foster peace through music. Question for our members: how do you think music can help bring about peace? Click here to give us your reply.

Click the ad above for more details. Tell them you saw their ad in the Local 802 electronic newsletter! To advertise, click here.

Hearing services for musicians: www.EastSideHearing.com

Click the ad above for more details. Tell them you saw their ad in the Local 802 electronic newsletter! To advertise, click here.

Musicians: what if you could solve problem passages and technical challenges using a new technology that lets you see what to fix with your own eyes? You must try this to believe it! Click the ad below for more information and to find out about a special intro offer...

Click the ad above for more details. Tell them you saw their ad in the Local 802 electronic newsletter! To advertise, click here.

Musicians: do you have a legal concern? Click the link below to reach Local 802's lawyer Harvey S. Mars:

Click the ad above for more details. Tell them you saw their ad in the Local 802 electronic newsletter! To advertise, click here.

To respond to this newsletter directly or to give any comments, e-mail 802notes@Local802afm.org

To reach Local 802 by phone, call (212) 245-4802. For more information on our services and departments, see www.Local802afm.org

Paid ads in 802 NOTES support your union and keep your costs down. You can advertise here and reach thousands of your peers. E-mail Allegro@Local802afm.org for more information.

Local 802 AFM

322 West 48th St
New York, NY 10036
(212) 245-4802

Mikael Elsila is the editor of Allegro magazine and the 802 NOTES electronic newsletter. He can be reached at: Allegro@Local802afm.org

DO YOU KNOW ABOUT LS-1 AND MUSIC SERVICE CONTRACTS?

DO YOU WANT TO EARN PENSION AND HEALTH BENEFITS ON ALL OF YOUR GIGS?

There's an easy contract that we want you to know about! Click here for more information.

ALLEGRO

CLASSIFIEDS

Double bass and French bow for sale

Violin made by Sergio Peresson

FOR SALE: 1907 Hawkes concert model double bass

Yamaha YBS-62 bari sax for sale

Hand facings for clarinet and saxophone

I will buy your vinyl records

Psychotherapy for musicians

Learn circular breathing

Ear training and conducting

Acupuncture for musicians

Upright basses, cheap!

Violin for sale

...and more!

These are just some of the many classified ads featured in Allegro each month. To purchase a classified, click here.

NEED FINANCIAL AID?

DO YOU KNOW ABOUT THE EMERGENCY RELIEF FUND?

The Emergency Relief Fund helps musicians in need. Financial assistance is provided in the form of a directed grant to the musician's creditors; for example, to a landlord, physician, etc. The eligibility requirements are:

a minimum of two years' membership in the union;
good standing, with all dues (annual and work dues) paid;
the musician's needs fall within the guidelines defining "dire need" as set by the fund's trustees. These include gas, electric or telephone cut-off, eviction, medical debts, costs incurred due to the theft of instruments, auto repairs vital to continued employment, and other emergencies.

To seek assistance, members must contact the Administrator and fill out an application which requires proof of need. To apply, contact the union's social worker Cindy Green by clicking here or calling (212) 245-4802, ext. 180. Cindy can also help you apply for other financial help from sources like the Actors' Fund and other relief organizations.

COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLE FOR LOCAL 802 MEMBERS AND THEIR FAMILIES

Competitive prizes of $500 to $4,000 are available. Click here to apply now.

Click the ad above for info.

FREE HEARING TESTS!

Each month, Local 802 offers a free hearing test with a real audiologist. We'll take a baseline measurement of your hearing and more. To find out the next date and to make a reservation, contact Robin Donach by phone only at (212) 245-4802, ext. 101.

For professional hearing help, see the ad from Dr. Ellen Finkelstein elsewhere on this page, or click here.

JAZZ JAM!

There is a jazz jam on most Mondays at Local 802 (322 West 48th Street), from 7 to 9:30 p.m. For more information, call Joe Petrucelli at the Jazz Foundation of America at (212) 245-3999, ext. 10, or click here.

ARE YOU PAYING TOO MUCH TAX?

As a musician, your employers and bandleaders are legally required to pay their fair share of your taxes. If you're paid cash for gigs, you're losing money -- possibly tens of thousands of per year. For more information, click here or call the Organizing Department at (212) 245-4802.

OUT OF WORK?

DO YOU HAVE MONEY WAITING FOR YOU?

Somtimes the union may have a check in your name, but no way to get it to you because your address is outdated. To see if there's money waiting for you, click here.

Paid ads in 802 NOTES support your union and keep your costs down. You can advertise here and reach thousands of your peers. For more information, click here.

Click the ad above for info.