Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/1380878
12 PRODUCTION SOUND & VIDEO – Summer 2021 NEWS & ANNOUNCEMENTS MPI UPDATE REGARDING COBRA EXTENSIONS Members who may be eligible for up to six months of federally subsidized/no-cost COBRA continuation coverage through the MPI were recently sent information about this coverage by US mail and email. MPI strongly encourages members who would like to enroll in subsidized/no-cost COBRA continuation coverage to do so by completing the electronic election form (eForm) available on the MPI website for eligible members when they log in to their personal MPI account. MPI only sent information to those members determined to be potentially eligible for federally subsidized COBRA continuation coverage. Members who have never earned the minimum hours required to be eligible for coverage through MPI, dependents who have lost eligibility due to age or other life events, and members who have previously exhausted their COBRA continuation coverage rights are not eligible for this subsidized/no-cost coverage. In addition, those members or their dependents who are eligible Important Update to Dues Payment Policies Back in March of 2020, the Board of Directors responded to the industry-wide shutdown with fifty percent dues reductions for the last three quarters of 2020. The Board also discontinued the application of all late fees and put a hold on any expulsions for non-payment—both of which continue to be in effect at this time. Fortunately, things have improved a great deal since the shutdown. With strict safety protocols in place and with the rate of vaccinations rising daily, many of our members have made a safe return to work. Our Available for Work List is showing record low numbers and work levels in most areas of the industry are strong. Even so, we realize that some members have not yet fully recovered from months with little work, and some are still waiting for their areas of the industry to open back up. With all of this in mind, the Board of Directors has been exploring ways to address the different situations our members find themselves in. Beginning with the third quarter of 2021, the Board has authorized a gradual return to full-payment policies as required in the Local 695 Constitution & Bylaws, with new measures put into place to assist members during the transition period, including no-interest payment plans and hardship relief. For complete details on these new policies, members can visit our website and see the first item on the "News & Announcements" page, or they can contact the office. for other group coverage or for Medicare may not receive this subsidized/no-cost COBRA continuation coverage. While a paper copy of this election form will be made available to eligible members for their completion, MPI strongly encourages using the election eForm by logging in to www.mpiphp.org. You'll need to log in to access the eForm, as the form is not available online under dependent accounts. Check MPIPHP's website www.mpiphp.org regularly for updates on this topic.