COBRA subsidies in COVID relief package

February 1st, 2021 by DanTBrink

As vaccine availability ramps up, we know that the day is coming when theaters will be able to safely reopen across the country. But in the meantime, workers all across our industry are struggling. Since April, Actors' Equity has been pushing Congress to consider specific plans to help entertainment workers survive the pandemic. People like you who support the arts have helped us to achieve some important wins, like access to unemployment benefits for work that was canceled due to the pandemic. There's still more to do while we wait for theatre to reopen.

After months of hard work, the Biden administration has heard our call. There's a proposal in President Biden's $1.9 trillion COVID relief package that could help: a COBRA subsidy through September.

This proposal provides a reimbursement for the cost of the often-expensive COBRA premiums for workers who normally receive coverage through their job, but have lost work. That would give arts workers more time while the industry works toward reopening.

The proposal is in President Biden's plan, but we need your help to make sure it stays in Congress's relief bill. Will you email your members of Congress to tell them why arts workers need the COBRA subsidy?

We're working all our contacts in Congressional offices, but nothing matters more to the Senators and Representatives than hearing from constituents like you. Please, take two minutes and use our tool to email your members of Congress today.

In solidarity,

Actors' Equity Association

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