Lights, Camera, No Action: Insurance Woes Beset Entertainment Industry Workers

(KHN Illustration/Getty Images) This story also ran on LAist . This story can be republished for free ( details ). Before the coronavirus pandemic shut down the entertainment industry in March, Jeffrey Farber had a steady flow of day jobs in film and television, including work on “Hunters” and “Blue Bloods.” But when theaters, movies and TV shows stopped production, not only did Farber lose his acting income, he also stopped accruing the hours and earnings he needed to qualify for health insurance through his labor union, SAG-AFTRA. Without the acting jobs, his insurance would be ending this month. When the pandemic halted film and television production, Jeffrey Farber lost his acting income and stopped accruing the hours and earnings he needed to qualify for health insurance through his labor union, SAG-AFTRA. (Michael Roman) “This is an unbelievable situation,” said Farber, 65, a survivor of pancreatic cancer. “There are going to be so many people who aren’t going to be able to make it.” From Broadway to Hollywood, many actors, directors, backstage workers, musicians and others in the performing arts face similar coverage suspensions. Those in the entertainment industry often have several employers over the course of a year […]

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