Health and Welfare Summary Plan Description

• Health and Welfare SPD / Article XI / Supplemental Benefits >>

11.6 Emergency Leave Benefit.

1. General Rule. In 2022, the City and County of San Francisco requires certain employers to provide leave benefits entitled the San Francisco Public Health Emergency Leave Ordinance to replace wages lost due to time off to care for Participants and/or specified family members' qualifying health-related condition due to a declared health emergency. Participants are not eligible for the San Francisco benefit because the Inside Wire CBA waived the benefit in exchange for a substantially similar benefit provided under this Plan. Pursuant to this section, the Plan provides a cash emergency leave benefit ("E-Leave Benefit"), effective January 1, 2023.
2. Eligibility. A Participant who is a member of Local 6 in good standing, who is currently covered under the Plan (including COBRA) and unable to work due to one or more of the reasons listed below is eligible for the E-Leave Benefit for any workday (maximum of ten).
   1. You are recommended or required by a federal, California state, or San Francisco health order relating to a public health emergency, to take leave from work.
   2. Your healthcare provider advises that you isolate or quarantine due to a public health emergency.
   3. You have symptoms of, and are seeking or have received a positive medical diagnosis for, a possible infectious, contagious or communicable disease associated with a public health emergency.
   4. You are caring for a family member with any of the above conditions or, due to a public health emergency, whose school or place of care has been closed or health provider is unavailable, due to a public health emergency.
   5. There is an air quality emergency, you primarily work outdoors and you (i) are diagnosed with heart or lung disease, (ii) have been previously diagnosed by your Physician with respiratory problems such as asthma, emphysema, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, (iii) are pregnant, or (iv) are age 60 or older.
3. Definitions. For purposes of the E-Leave Benefit, the following definitions apply.
   1. "Public health emergency"means a local or statewide health emergency relating to a contagious, infectious, or communicable disease declared by the City's local health officer or the state health officer pursuant to the California Health and Safety Code, or a day when the Bay Area Air Quality Management District issues a Spare the Air Alert.
   2. "Family member" means a Child, grandchild, grandparent, parent, sibling, Spouse or Domestic Partner.
4. Reporting. E-Leave Benefit payments will be treated as wages for state and federal tax purposes. EISB will withhold state and federal and payroll taxes such as social security, Medicare and unemployment insurance. Eligible Participants will receive a separate Form W-2 reporting the benefit payments and income tax withholding credits.
   
5. Funding. Funding of the E-Leave Benefit shall be made by the hourly contributions as provided under an Employer's Contribution Agreement.