2021 MOA Area Standards Agreement Key Changes

The Area Standards Agreement has been ratified effective November 21, 2021.

To help you prepare for retroactive payments and budgeting, hiring crew, and discussing benefits for your future productions, we've outlined the most recent changes below.

• Wages
  • 3% increase retroactive back to August 1, 2021*
  • An additional 3% increase effective July 31, 2022*
  • An additional 3% increase effective July 30, 2023*
    *Increases shall be compounded
  • Modify Maryland and Non-Maryland hourly wage rate tables in Appendix A and the Washington D.C. rates for Art Department Coordinators and Asst Production Office Coordinators under Television (does not apply to Low Budget SVOD or Mid Budget SVOD) to:
    • $23.50 per hour retroactive to August 1, 2021
    • $24.50 per hour effective July 31, 2022
    • $26.00 per hour effective July 30, 2023

• Benefits
  • Increase $6.00 per day retroactive to August 1, 2021
  • Increase an additional $6.00 per day effective July 31, 2022
  • Increase an additional $7.00 per day effective July 30, 2023

• Overtime & Premium Pay (double time change from old agreement) - goes into effect February 13, 2022
  • 2x the regular hourly rate for all hours worked after 12 hours of work on any workday when an employee is employed on a theatrical motion picture, other than:
    • distant on Pilot
    • a pilot/episode of a series other than 1^st season of series made for Basic Cable or the CW
    • 2-hour pilot for which no commitment for a series, an episode of a series, or one time television motion picture, other than Long-Form TV Motion Picture.
    • Does not apply to mini-series.
  • 1.5x the regular hourly rate for all hours after 8 hours of work for the first 5 days or after 40 straight time hours of work in a workweek, and for first 12 hours worked (14 hours elapsed if applicable) on a sixth day in a workweek.

• Weekend Rest Period (goes into effect February 13, 2022)
  • 54 hours for 5 consecutive days worked inclusive of daily rest.
  • 50 hours if 5^th day is no longer than 12 hours worked and either exterior night shooting, shooting location has limited access, is delayed due to weather conditions, 66+ mins one-time motion picture, no more than once every 6 weeks on episodic series or mini-series, twice on a theatrical motion picture or one-time motion picture 85+ mins.
  • If the production’s first workweek is a partial workweek, the weekend rest period shall apply as if it were a full workweek.
  • 32 hours 6 consecutive day workweek inclusive of daily rest (does not apply on workweek shift) penalty for invasion is 1-hour additional straight time for all invaded hours.
  • Does not apply to On-Call.

• Meals (goes into effect November 21, 2021)
  • $12.50 for 3^rd and 4^th
  • $25.00 for 5^th and subsequent
  • For any workweek in which an employee is entitled to more than 20 meal period penalties, all subsequent meal period penalties in that workweek will be paid at 1 hour of pay at the prevailing rate for each half-hour of meal delay or fraction thereof.

• Meals on Television Motion Pictures shooting in a studio (goes into effect November 21, 2021)
  • $13.50 for 3^rd and 4^th meal
  • $25.00 for 5^th and succeeding
  • For any workweek in which an employee is entitled to more than 20 meal period penalties, all subsequent meal period penalties in that workweek will be paid at 1 hour of pay at the prevailing rate for each half-hour of meal delay or fraction thereof.

• Low Budget SVOD Programs Live-Action Dramatic New Media Programs (commence prior to and after August 1, 2022)
  • 20-35 mins (less than $900,000)
  • 36-65 mins (less than $1,750,000)
  • 66+ mins (less than $2,100,000)
  • Terms and conditions follow Long-form rollback wage rates 2 years
  • Post-Production wage rates Exhibit 1, 2 pay periods prior

• Mid-Budget SVOD Programs Live Action Dramatic New Media Programs
  • 20-35 mins ($900,000 or more but less than $1,300,000)
  • 36-65 mins ($1,750,000 or more but less than $2,500,000)
  • 66+ mins ($2,100,000 or more but less than $3,000,000)
  • Terms and conditions follow Long-form rollback wage rates 1 period prior
  • Post-Production wage rates Exhibit 1, Rollback 1 years prior
  • Washington D.C.  Rollback TV wages 1 year prior to the period in question
  • Las Vegas And Hawaii wages paid per the provisions of Low Budget SVOD (goes into effect August 1, 2022)

• Holiday
  • Martin Luther King Jr. Day replaces Columbus Day. EE due if works day before and day after payable at 8 hr min call at straight time hourly rate or 1/5^th weekly guarantee.

• Per Diem
  • Breakfast increase to $11.50
  • Lunch increase to $16.00
  • Dinner increase to $32.00
  • Total Daily $59.50

• Weekly Living Allowance
  • $567.00 per week, effective November 21, 2021
  • $602.00 per week effective July 31, 2022
  • $637.00 per week effective July 30, 2023

• Paid Sick Leave (removed California and made it just Paid Sick Leave)
  • Is now 1 hour for 30 hours worked for the same Producer and no longer limited to California.
  • Employees employed outside California shall be eligible for such Sick Leave commencing February 1, 2022.

• Cancellation of Call
  • Must notify employee prior to the employee's dismissal for the day and for persons not on payroll up to 12 hours prior to their call time. Penalty for late cancellation is 8 hours minimum call. Producer may cancel weather permitting call up to 4 hours prior to employee's call time. Penalty for 4-hour notification is 4 hours pay at straight time or 1/10^th of weekly rate if employed by week.
  • 1/3 benefits due on Cancellation.

• Training Minimum Call
  • 4-hour minimum call on a day in which the employee does not work and reports for training. Note: Old agreement just states “reports to safety training.”
  • Weekly on-call is paid at 1/10 of the weekly on-call rate for each such day. Note: Does not apply to weekly on-call or a day within a weekly guarantee of a weekly employee.

Additional information: ASA Agreement summary

If you have any questions, please contact our Labor Relations team at LaborRelations@gslate.com.

This information in this communication is general in nature, and is not intended, nor should it be construed, as legal, accounting, tax or other professional advice rendered by GreenSlate, LLC. The reader should contact his or her attorney, CPA, or tax professional prior to taking any action based upon this information.