Updates to BRMS website re: furlough credit rules
Aloha Local 5 members. Regarding your medical, the BRMS webpage now has a tab, “Hotel-Furlough” which has information on:
- Furlough Credit Return to Work (80 Bank Hours Credit) and the Pandemic Furlough Credit Rule (240 Furlough Bank Hours)
- Furlough – Eligibility Letter of Appeal
Be sure to read all Furlough Credit rules thoroughly. Remember, you get a total of 240 Furlough Bank Hours if you were covered under the Plan during May 2020. You may receive the 80 return to work hours only if did not have a break in service with the Plan during the Pandemic.
Appeals
If you need to file an appeal for medical eligibility, fill out the “Eligibility Letter of Appeal” form, clearly stating what you are appealing, and send it in immediately to BRMS. You can submit by mail, email, or fax:
By Mail:
Board of Trustees
Benefits and Appeals Committee
AFL Hotel & Restaurant Workers Health & Welfare Trust Fund
560 North Nimitz Hwy, Suite 209
Honolulu, HI 96817
By Email:
With the Subject: Board of Trustees/Benefits and Appeals Committee for medical
By Fax:
(808) 537-1074
Medical Eligibility
To check your bank hours, furlough credit balance, and what month you are covered through for medical, email BRMS at hiaflinfo@brmsonline.com or call (808) 523-0199. Please be patient as BRMS is receiving a high volume of emails and calls.
80 compensable hours (work, vacation, sick leave hours), bank hours, or furlough credit hours, or a combination thereof is needed for a month of medical eligibility.
For those who lose medical eligibility on October 31, and want to extend your medical coverage, you may use 80 hours of vacation, but you MUST use it according to the Fund’s eligibility rules.
(Example: 80 compensable hours in August earns coverage for November; 80 compensable hours in September earns coverage for December).
If you choose to use your vacation to “buy” medical coverage, contact your Human Resources Department to verify the amount of vacation hours available to you and to request the use of those hours. Verify with your HR what their pay period coverage dates are so you know the vacation hours used will apply to the needed month (i.e. use vacation hours in August for medical coverage in November). Each property uses different payroll coverage dates so please be sure you follow the schedule for your property. Ask HR to verify your rate of pay for your vacation hours in order to calculate the correct amount for Unemployment Insurance if needed.
Unemployment
Make sure you DO report the income on your weekly or bi-weekly UI claim. You should report it for the week(s) you use the vacation as “Residual Pay.”
For Weekly Filers – You do not need to file weekly when using 40 hours of vacation. Your overall claim status will not be affected. If you take less than 40 hours per week of vacation, you are required to file your UI claim for that week.
For Bi-Weekly Filers – You are required to file and report all vacation hours every week.
Options:
When your furlough credit hours are exhausted and you’d rather not use your vacation to get medical eligibility, you may use the Fund’s self-pay or COBRA option. You may also seek to get medical coverage through Med-Quest or through the Marketplace. Click here for more information.
IMPORTANT: If you’re planning to retire within the next 12 months, in order to qualify for the retiree medical, you MUST have had 12 consecutive months of medical coverage under our Health and Welfare Trust Fund Plan up to the day you retire or else you will NOT be eligible for retiree medical. If any of you are about to lose coverage under our Trust Fund Plan, COBRA and Self-Pay is available to keep you on our Health and Welfare Trust Fund. Contact BRMS or visit their website: https://www.vbas.com/HI_Local5/ for more information.
- If you have an existing account with the BRMS website, click “LOGIN” on the top-right corner
- If you don’t have an account, register by clicking “REGISTER” on the top-right corner
Please contact your Organizer for any other questions. Mahalo.
