​MEMBER BENEFITS & DISCOUNTS

If you are unemployed or work fewer hours than is typical for your local union and are getting state unemployment benefits, SASMI benefits may be able to help by supplementing your income. If you are prepared to work, looking for a position in the sheet metal business, and receiving or eligible for state unemployment benefits, you may be eligible for this benefit.

If you are sick, injured, or temporarily disabled and working fewer hours than the average amount of hours in your local union but are not collecting state unemployment compensation benefits, SASMI benefits may be able to help by augmenting your income.

You may qualify for a travel benefit from SASMI if you are a current member in good standing who was suggested by the International Job Bank. If you need to travel for work due to unemployment or the danger of unemployment in your home local union, this benefit may pay you up to $1,125.

Your beneficiary may be entitled for a death benefit if you have at least five years of future service credit and at least one hour of paid contributions after January 1, 2010, and you were eligible at the time of your death.

In the event that a shortage of hours puts your family’s health insurance at risk, SASMI will make payments to your local union health plan on your behalf. Note that determining eligibility is free of charge for SASMI.

The majority of members are familiar with SASMI’s professional help, but SASMI is also “there for you later” — as in, throughout your retirement. Depending on how long you worked in the sector and when you retired, you can be eligible for SASMI payments in retirement. These include a health care reimbursement account (HCRA) and a service-based HCRA, as well as a severance payment based on your prior and prospective service.

For up to 12 weeks per pregnancy, a weekly SASMI Maternity Benefit may be available to you if you are unable to work due to being pregnant or having just given birth. The benefit is determined by multiplying your usual work hours by 60% of your typical hourly salary.

The maternity benefit can start up to four weeks before the due date of your anticipated delivery. If your inability to work is verified by a licensed doctor or midwife who is caring for you during your pregnancy, you may be eligible in some cases for the benefit to start earlier.

Making annual preventive care checkups and screenings a priority will help you identify and address health issues before they become serious.

You and your family are encouraged to maintain your preventative healthcare routine through SASMI’s Annual Physical Benefit. For a maximum of $600 per family, each calendar year, members can earn $200 for their personal physical exam and $100 for covered family members only for getting a checkup. This benefit might assist you make up any missed income if you have to skip work to take your exam or if you have unplanned expenses.

Although the Affordable Care Act requires health insurers to cover many preventive care treatments at 100% of the cost, there may be additional expenses related to a routine physical (such as certain tests and screenings, as well as mileage and lost time at work) that are not necessarily covered. The Annual Physical Benefit might be useful at that point.

The SASMI Board of Trustees has authorized “Benevolent Relief” to assist SASMI participants during extreme circumstances like floods, hurricanes, and other natural catastrophes. The trustees recently approved reimbursements for individuals who were unable to find work as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The SASMI Board of Trustees has authorized “Benevolent Relief” to assist SASMI participants during extreme circumstances like floods, hurricanes, and other natural catastrophes. The Trustees recently approved reimbursements for people who were unable to find work as a result of the Covid-19 epidemic.

For up to 12 weeks per pregnancy, a weekly SASMI Maternity Benefit may be available to you if you are unable to work due to being pregnant or having just given birth. The benefit is determined by multiplying your usual work hours by 60% of your typical hourly salary.

For instance, 60% would be $18 if your hourly rate is $30. Your weekly benefit would be $720 (18 x 40) if your typical work week hours are 40 (as specified in your collective bargaining agreement).

The maternity benefit can start up to four weeks before the due date of your anticipated delivery. If your inability to work is verified by a licensed doctor or midwife who is caring for you during your pregnancy, you may be eligible in some cases for the benefit to start earlier.

When establishing your eligibility for Supplemental Unemployment or Underemployment benefits, the period you are receiving maternity benefits will be counted as working 60% of a typical work week.

Log in to the member portal here to submit an application for maternity benefits. To be eligible for benefits, you must submit your application no later than 12 weeks following the birth of your child or termination of your pregnancy.

A multi-employer pension plan operates when a group of employers pool their funds together to provide a pension benefit for its participants.

A defined benefit plan is one that offers a set monthly benefit to union members who have fulfilled the plan’s vesting conditions. Employer payments negotiated under a collective bargaining agreement and investment gains on the plan’s funds serve as the only sources of funding.

A trustee board that is evenly split between union and employer representatives oversees the money.

The board of trustees receives a report from the fund administrator, who is in charge of the fund’s daily operations. According to the policies and procedures established by the fund’s board of trustees, qualified investment managers are recruited to manage the fund’s assets.

Your pension is determined by taking into account both the years of service you accumulate as a SMART member and the contributions paid to the fund by your employer. You don’t start getting pension benefits until you’ve retired and reached vested status, which means you’ve earned the non-forfeitable right to a pension at standard retirement age. The plan is managed by the board of trustees, personnel, and experts with the sole purpose of giving members who have dedicated their careers to the sheet metal sector the most benefit possible.