Important Benefit available for eligible and qualified SASMI members affected by the COVID-19 virus

SASMI will provide all eligible and qualified participants unable to work during any part of the remaining 2020A Stabilization Period due to exposure to COVID-19, displaced from employment as a result of COVID-19, or who have voluntarily removed themselves from the workforce in response to COVID-19 with a special emergency benefit. The details of the benefit and application forms can be found on our website at www.sasmi.org. Generally, the benefit will be equal to one week of wages as defined in their CBA (usually forty (40) hours) of journeypersons pay, or derivative thereof, in any month (March, April, May and June) in which a member as a direct effect of COVID-19 is displaced, quarantined or voluntarily removed from the workforce and does not receive wages from their employer for at least one week.
This payment(s) will not affect your qualification or eligibility for unemployment or underemployment benefits to which you may be entitled to for the 2020 A-Period and will not be counted against those benefits. The benefit, however, will count as a benefit received in determining, in the future, whether you have met the 200% rule and in determining severance and retiree HCRA benefits.
Later this week members will be able to make application via our website (www.sasmi.org). Once there, use the link labeled “COVID-19”. All questions must be answered in order to be considered for this benefit. Once submitted, SASMI will validate your qualifications for this benefit including, as appropriate, contacting your Local Union Representative or Employer.
Due to staffs limited office availability during this time and to expedite payment we will temporarily only be able to process ACH payments to a member’s bank. Benefits that need to be paid by check may be delayed.