Guest Artist Guidelines
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Employing Actors and Stage Managers Under the Guest Artist Agreement Eastern Region 165 W 46th Street New York, NY 10036 Telephone: 212-869-8530 Central Region 557 W Randolph Street Chicago, IL 60661 Telephone: 312-641-0393 Western Region 5636 Tujunga Ave North Hollywood, CA 91601 Telephone: 323-978-8080 © Actors' Equity Association. All Rights Reserved. The following guideline 5. May Actors be hired as When do I pay the Actor? Salary and independent contractors or on a per diem are paid weekly, no later than the provides an overview of fee basis? No. Actors and Stage evening of the Thursday of that week's work. the Actors’ Equity Guest Managers do not meet state or federal criteria What is an Equity Work Week? The as independent contractors. (If an Actor is Equity work week runs from Monday through Artist Agreement. If you employed via his personal service corporation, Sunday. The first week of rehearsal may be have any questions, feel please contact Equity for further information.) pro-rated, 1/6th of contractual salary for each Thus, federally required employer contribu- day, if the Actor’s first call is late in the week. free to contact an Equity tions to Social Security, Medicare and unem- (The health insurance contribution may not be ployment must be made, as well as state- pro-rated.) Business required contributions to Unemployment and What about pay stubs? Whether paid Workers’ Compensation insurance programs. Representative. We’re by check or by cash, the Actor must be issued These amounts are in addition to the salary a record of gross salary; an itemization of ex- happy to assist you. and pension and health contributions and may traordinary payments (overtime, clothing not be waived. rental, etc.), itemized deductions, and net sal- 1. Who may utilize this contract? Paymasters. In the event you are not set ary for his records. Universities, non-profit community theatres up as an employer and are unable to procure How much are the pension and and non-profit groups operating within an Workers’ Compensation, Unemployment health payments? Contributions on the educational or community framework may Insurance or provide payroll deductions, there Actor’s behalf to the Equity-League Pension secure the services of professional Actors, by are organizations, known as paymasters, and Health Trust Fund are made by the obtaining permission from Equity. through whom you may procure these employer. These contributions are not services. Please call the Equity office for 2. How do I obtain deducted from the Actor's salary, and provide further information. permission? Actors’ Equity endeavors medical insurance and help accrue pension to satisfy requests to employ Guest Artists and Unemployment Insurance. Equity credits for the Artist. For pension contribution does not arbitrarily withhold the granting of requires that Actors employed under Equity and health rates, please see the Tier Structure contract receive the benefits provided by the such permission. However, consideration is Highlights on page 3. (Copies of the plans are given to the nature of your organization, size Unemployment Insurance laws of the state in available upon request.) which the Actor performs, or through the vol- of company, performance schedule, and the What about Working Dues? untary provisions of the New York or New relationship to professional theatrical activities Currently, 2.5% of the Guest Artist’s total Jersey State Unemployment laws. Should it in the area. Please be sure that your appli- gross salary must be deducted and forwarded be impossible to comply with this provision, it cation for the employment of an Actor is ap- to Equity as the Actor’s dues obligation to will be necessary to contact Equity before proved with the appropriate Equity Business Equity. It is not a cost borne by you. Representative before any public an- signing any agreements. A Business Rep can nouncement. Whenever possible, permission discuss procedures that may enable you to 7. How many hours and perfor- secure coverage. will be granted as soon as Equity has had the mances per week are allowed? opportunity to investigate the request. 6. Tell me about salary, pension, Rehearsal Week Hours. Prior to the The granting of permission for an Actor to health and Working Dues. first public performance, the total work week appear on a Guest Artist Agreement is done including performance, rehearsals, costume Salaries. Minimum weekly salaries for the on an individual basis only. It is necessary for calls, photos and classes shall be no more run of the contract are based on the maximum you to make application to Equity each time than 25 hours per week under Tier I, 32 hours number of performances in any one week. For you wish to engage an Actor. The granting of under Tier II, 42 hours under Tier III. (See #6 example, if you have two performances one permission for one Guest Artist can in no way Overtime & Tier Table) be construed as establishing a precedent for week and five performances the next, the Performance Week Hours. After the others. appropriate Tier for the run of the contract, rehearsal and performance, would be Tier 2. first public performance, the total work week 3. How do I contact an Equity In cases where the engagement is one week including performances, rehearsals, costume Actor? Equity can provide assistance or less the applicable minimum is more. (For calls, photos, and classes shall be no more accessing the Equity talent pool or with au- minimum salaries and other rates, please see than 15 hours per week under Tier I, 22 hours ditions, should you need help. If you make the Tier Structure Highlights on page 3.) under Tier II, 32 hours under Tier III. (See #6 Overtime & Tier Table) contact directly with the Actor or the Actor's Equity establishes minimum salaries only and agent, it is still necessary to seek the approval encourages Actors and their employers to How many performances per of Equity to engage the Actor. negotiate above these minimums whenever week are permitted? Tier I allows for a maximum of three per week. Tiers II and III 4. How many Actors may I possible. allow for a maximum of five and eight per employ in my show? Barring special How much do I pay for overtime? week, respectively. (See Tier Table) (One circumstances, no more than three Actors and Overtime is $13 per half hour or part thereof. additional performance per week beyond the one Stage Manager shall be hired in any If the 12-hour rest period is invaded, overtime weekly maximum may be scheduled under production under this agreement. If three or is $22 per half hour or part thereof. (See Tier Tiers I, II, and III, 1/3, 1/5, and 1/8 of con- more Actors are employed, a Stage Manager Table) tractual salary, respectively, must be paid for must also be employed under the Guest Artist How about per diem? Minimum per such additional performance.) In no event Agreement. diem is $28 for all out-of-town Actors. (See may there be more than five performances in Tier Table) any three consecutive days. What is the span of day? The span of and other operations where there is no weekly 16. I’d really like to have an day is 7 out of 8 1/2 consecutive hours under payroll. (See #5 and #6 above.) Actor do another part, but I didn’t Tier I, 7 out of 10 under Tier II, and 7 out of 12 To whom and for what do I make include it on the contract. What under Tier III. (See Tier Table) There may out the checks? We require two (2) do I do? An Actor may not do additional be no less than a 12-hour rest period between checks and copies of the actors’ final two work without agreement between the Actor the end of employment on one day and the paychecks and you, the Producer, and additional beginning of employment on the next day. compensation. Additional work is defined as (1) Actor’s Paychecks. We require (See #6 Overtime & Tier Table) work not specified in the Actor's contract at the copies of the final two paychecks for the Actor, time of its signing. (Additional duties are 8. Days off? Two scheduled full days off with a breakdown of their tax and Equity dues contracted by rider with copies sent to the in each week, which need not be consecutive, deductions. Actor and to Equity.) are required under Tier I, one scheduled full (2) Pension & Health Check. The day off each week is required under Tiers II third check is payable to the Equity-League 17. What about billing in the pro- and III. (A full day off is one which is free of Pension and Health Trust Fund to cover the gram? All Actors provide a biography for rehearsals, performances and/or teaching total pension and health contributions. the program, and changes by the Producer responsibilities and is 24 hours, in addition to must be approved by the Actor before printing. (3) Working Dues Check. The fourth the 12 hours required at the end of each day.) All Actors engaged under the Guest Artist check is payable to Actors' Equity Association, Agreement are listed on the title page or cast 9. Do I provide housing for the in the current amount of 2.5% of the Actor's list page of the theatre’s program with an Actors? Out-of-town Actors are provided total gross salary, to cover the Actor’s working asterisk (*) next to their names. The asterisk housing at no cost to the Actor.