Equity card

[Garvinsam]

I got cast in a show that is equity to my understanding. It's 625/ week EPA/ECC. I am non union and wanted to know if I could get my equity card from it?

[AEA Stage Manager]

You can get points if you enroll in the Equity Member Candidate program with a $100 fee . After you earn enough weeks ( I think its 52 weeks now a days) you can join AEA, after you pay a fee.
Of course you can by pass earning weeks if a theatre offers you a AEA contract out right ( you still have to be a EMC member). Hope this helps.

[Broadwaystar2]

You can ask whom ever is putting on the production if they will be offering it. But usually you would know that upon being cast. It never hurts to ask them.

[The Distinctive Baritone]

I don't think you have to be an EMC to get offered an Equity contract/membership outright.

Also, according to the Equity website, it's still 50 weeks.

[goldenboy]

If you want to join Equity....
definitely ask if you can get an equity contract.
If you get one simply go to Equity and join with your contract in hand.
If its more money out of their pocket and they say no that they can't afford it... and you want to join
you can always offer it to pay some back. Just don't tell Equity. It's your career and if you want to join Equity do what you can do to get in.

[Nateben2]

You don't have to EMC to get an Equity card - you just need to be offered an AEA Contract and pay the fee.

[Kad]

All you need is a valid Equity contract (Showcases, 99-seat agreements do not count) to be eligible. This sounds like a valid contract.

Once you've signed it, you can do one of two things:

1) BRING the contract to Equity. You'll have to pay a minimum of $400 of the $1100 initiation fee. You'll fill out an application and be issued a temporary card then and there.

2) WAIT for the theatre to send Equity the contract. Once received, you will be sent an application to fill out via mail.

I would recommend the former (or mailing your contract yourself).

Depending on how long your contract is, Equity may request deductions from your pay to go toward the initiation fee. You are NOT a member until that $400 of your initiation is paid.

Don't follow goldenboy's advice to pay your employer back so they offer you a valid contract. That's just not sound advice.

[AEA AGMA SM]

Just a couple minor corrections. You have six months to pay the first $400, and they will have an amount held from your paycheck each week. That amount will depend on how much the salary is. It is true that you are not a full member until you pay that first $400. If you have the funds available then I would recommend paying as much of the initiation fee as you can on your own (it is tax deductible if you are itemizing your deductions, as are basic and working dues). You have two years in total to pay the full $1100.

Seconding Kad's advice to ignore the whole idea of offering to "pay back" your employer. That completely undermines one of the reasons to join the union, which is to protect wages and working conditions.

However, as I said in your thread in the OT board, you need to find out what contract this is under and whether they are indeed offering you an Equity contract. Many contracts allow for a mix of union and non-union actors, especially for larger cast shows.

[Kad]

Clarifying the amount held from your paycheck: AEA will request the employer to do this, and then remit the deducted funds. Whether the company does this in a timely fashion is up to them. A great number of companies do not, resulting in actors believing their balance has been paid when, in actuality, the money that they've seen deducted has yet to be sent to Equity. All the more reason you try to keep your balance at zero as much as is possible.

If you do not pay the $400 within six months, or the remainder of the initiation fee within 2 years, your membership will be terminated, the money paid will not be refunded, and you will have to start from square one again.