Unions calling for aid for Hollywood workers

LOS ANGELES — A coalition of industry arts and entertainment unions and organizations, including SAG-AFTRA, backed a bill to remedy a flaw in previous COVID-19 relief that excluded many industry workers.

The Mixed Earner Unemployment Assistance Act of 2020, introduced by Reps. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., and Judy Chu, D-Calif., would end an exclusion that prevented many Hollywood workers from qualifying for federal pandemic relief packages, such as the CARES Act.

Many in the entertainment industry earn a mix of wages as employees for productions such as TV shows, as well as income as self-employed creators, gig workers or local musicians. These socalled mixed-earners typically may not earn enough as a W-2-employee to qualify for any state unemployment benefits. The result is that some are losing thousands of dollars in benefits, the group said.

Hundreds of thousands of workers in entertainment and the arts nationally have reported lower hours or loss of work as a result of the health crisis.

The coronavirus outbreak in March led to a shutdown of film and television production across the country, as well as live theater and music performances and recordings.

The aid comes as Hollywood attempts to start film production, although most of the activity has been limited to smaller crews.

“Our bill will ensure that mixed earners are no longer excluded from this critical assistance because of the nature of their employment and income,” Schiff said in a statement.

Under this new legislation, a so-called mixed earner who gained at least $7,250 from self-employment in 2019 could amend their application to qualify for the pandemic relief program. Federal stimulus payments totaling $600 a week end Saturday.

SAG-AFTRA President Gabrielle Carteris said the bill “corrects an unintended flaw in the CARES Act that resulted in affected performers receiving a fraction of the weekly benefits they are owed as taxpayers.”