In a win for working Teamsters, laid-off members who are covered by our union’s largest Health & Welfare Fund will receive up to eight weeks of continued healthcare coverage at no cost to members.

Thousands of Teamsters signed a petition started by Teamsters for a Democratic Union demanding that TeamCare use some of its $7 billion in reserves to maintain benefits for laid-off Teamsters.  

Now, members covered by TeamCare who are laid off between March 1 and December 31, 2020 will receive up to eight weeks of Layoff Coverage at no cost.

This is a good start and a win for working Teamsters. TeamCare should monitor its reserves as we move through the COVID-19 crisis together and work to maintain healthcare benefits for laid-off Teamsters.  

Not every Teamster health and welfare fund can afford to do this. But TeamCare can. TeamCare paid $3.2 billion in benefits last year so $7 billion equals 26 months of reserves. Most funds have three to six months of reserves.

Read TeamCare's Official Bulletin

Who’s Covered and How It Works

TeamCare covers 212,000 Teamsters and 8,000 retirees, including a majority of UPS Teamsters nationally, and also many thousands of Teamsters in the Central and Southern regions, in freight, carhaul and many local contracts in construction, warehousing and delivery and others.

Normally TeamCare rules require freight and carhaul Teamsters to work three days per week, or lose their benefits, unless they pay a hefty COBRA fee. 

UPS and UPS Freight Teamsters have to work at least one day per week, under the one-punch rule, to maintain their healthcare coverage.

Now, members covered by TeamCare who are laid off between March 1 and December 31, 2020 will receive up to eight weeks of Layoff Coverage at no cost.

The IBT previously made an agreement with carhaul companies to extend health insurance coverage for the first two weeks of layoffs. 

In cases like carhaul where Teamsters are covered by an agreement that requires their employer to make health and welfare contributions for laid off employees, the eight weeks of TeamCare Layoff Coverage will begin the week after the employer contributions cease. 

So carhaulers will receive up to 10 weeks of Layoff Coverage. 

United Action Pays Off

Rank-and-file Teamsters are organizing to protect ourselves in the COVID-19 crisis. And we are getting some results

We’ve won 8 weeks of healthcare for laid off Teamsters covered by TeamCare.  

UPS and UPS Freight Teamsters won two weeks of paid leave if they are affected by coronavirus after 15,000 members signed our petition.

We’re continuing to organize for health and safety on our jobs.

Donate to support grassroots organizing to fight for working Teamsters hit by the COVID-19 crisis. 

Join the grassroots network that’s pressuring our employers and the Hoffa administration to do right by working Teamsters