Affirmative Workers’ Compensation Benefit (AWCB) is a legally compliant ERISA-based benefit under Federal law, known as an employee welfare benefit to cover events that could occur on-the-job, such as accidents or illnesses, and can only be offered to our Union members. This Workers’ Comp benefit needs to be more encompassing than regular Workers’ Comp products sold in the market. Our AWCB offers a $4,000 funeral expense benefit, and free annual employee physicals and annually updated immunizations.
AWCB belongs to Oasis Labor Association, and is NOT an insurance product, but rather, a benefit ERISA law permits we offer to the members of our growing labor organization. This, and other benefits we offer to our members, are benefits held in-trust, and are strictly regulated by the federal government’s Department of Labor (DOL) under the confines of its Employee Retirement Security Act (ERISA) regulations, and are subject to the rules of the Multiple Employer Welfare Arrangement (MEWA) as an Entity Claiming Exception (ECE) of ERISA code 3(40)(A)(i). Our benefit plans ultimately assist our organization members and their families.
Our members obtain within a multiemployer group in our organization, such benefits in-trust and services as: Worker’s Compensation, Health Care, Paid Sick Leave, Retirement Plans and other benefits. Oasis Labor Association backs each dollar in those Trusts with the purchase of ERISA bonds, and so each ERISA benefit complies with the federal standard.
Now an employer has the opportunity to carry the necessary ERISA-based Workers’ Comp coverage along with other benefits that are more robust and encompassing than the standard insurance-based products in the market place, and at prices below the standard industry market price.