S-T Talk: QUARTERLY LOCAL S-T TOWNHALL ZOOMS, DUES, FINANCE, COPE/COMPLIANCE

September 12, 2024

S-T Talk

Prior issues of S-T Talk are available on our website. Just visit cwa.org/s-t-talk.

QUARTERLY LOCAL S-T TOWNHALL ZOOMS:
Our last quarterly Local S-T Townhall Zoom for 2024 will be November 26, 2024, at 3 pm ET. Now that we have gone through a lot of the basics, we have gotten a request for more advanced topics and questions that Secretary-Treasurer’s are facing. We will meet to plan our town hall topics for the 2025 calendar year. If you can’t make our November 26, 2024 town hall, please email SToffice@cwa-union.org on or before November 18, 2024, to provide topics you would like to see covered in our 2025 Town hall Zoom series.  

DUES
New ATT/DTV Building Address Report
Calling all AT&T/DirectTV Locals!  

We're excited to announce that we now have a Building Address report available for AT&T and DirectTV. This information comes from the raw employer files and will be updated monthly as we receive new data.

You can find it under the District/Sector/Local section of the Reports menu.

For questions about the report, email duesquestions@cwa-union.org. For questions about the data itself, please contact your dues specialist, as they will be able to reach out to the employer for answers if needed.

FINANCE
Reimbursement Deadline
Did you know you have 90 days to request reimbursement for expenses?

All Local expense reimbursements must be submitted to your District/Sector/Division for processing prior to 90 days of when the work was completed. Also, when submitting reimbursement requests please make sure that a detailed business purpose is included. All invoices need to have details that tell who, what, why, when, and where and have copies of materials, flyers, ads, etc. If it is for lost time make sure to include the date and hours worked, what message was relayed and what activity was done, worksite visit, door knocks, phone banks, etc. Having all supporting documentation will help ensure timely processing.

It is important to make this a priority; especially, for SIF and Growth fund project reimbursements since these projects have defined funding time limitations.

COPE/COMPLIANCE
Bond Invoices & Certificates Reminder
If your local obtains Labor Organization Bond coverage through the CWA or TNG Bond policies, please note that the policies are set to renew on October 4, 2024. Please review** your coverage needs and reach out to cwamail@cwa-union.org to let us know of any change requests.

Certificates and Invoices will be mailed directly to Locals from Eberts & Harrison. To ensure mailing accuracy and efficiency, please verify that your Local’s address and your S/T’s address are correct in Aptify.

You should expect to receive Invoices & Certificates between November and December.

**Compliance will continue reviewing annual LM reports filed with the Department of Labor to ensure coverage requirements are met. The DOL’s bond calculation formula is Total Assets + Total Receipts x 10%.**

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Protect Your Local's Email and Website Domain Name
Custom domain names for websites or email accounts are great for your local’s visibility, but they need to be renewed and are very difficult to recover if they expire. A custom domain is something like cwalocal5678.org - a domain name that is specific to your local.

Some CWA locals have lost access to their website or email because only one person had a login for the domain registration and they left the Local.

We recommend that the email account associated with your Local's domain registration and website hosting be an email address that the S/T or other local staff have access to and that at least one other officer or staff person has an administrative account with the domain registrar.

We also recommend that your Local's Secretary-Treasurer keep a secure record of the login information (username and password) and expiration date for your Local's domain name registrations and website hosting with other important, confidential information that is passed on when there is a change in the Local's elected leadership.

Contact CWA Website Support if you have any questions.

ICYMI (In Case You Missed It)
Local LM Filing Deadline (For Fiscal Year Ending September 30th):
Locals with a Fiscal Year Ending date of September 30, 2024, have an LM filing with the Department of Labor due electronically by December 29, 2024.

The LMRDA does not authorize or grant any extension of time for filing these reports for any reason.

Electronic Forms System (EFS) is a web-based system for completing, signing, and submitting Labor Organization Annual Financial Reports. EFS allows a labor organization with a web-enabled computer the ability to acquire, complete, sign, and electronically file reports without purchasing a digital signature or downloading special software.

   Reporting Requirements

        · If total annual receipts are less than $10,000, Locals may use the online Form LM-4; 
        · If total annual receipts are less than $250,000, Locals may use the online Form LM-3;
        · If total annual receipts are more than $250,000, Locals must use the online Form LM-2.

   Go to the following links for more info on the LM-2, LM-3, and LM-4:
https://www.dol.gov/agencies/olms/reports/forms/lm-1-lm-2-lm-3-lm-4

Exclusion From Filing LM Reports
Only those Locals comprised entirely of public employees (state, county, or municipal employees) are excluded from filing an LM financial report.

CWA Councils ― Labor-Management (LM) Reporting
CWA Councils (city, state, or regional Councils) are also subject to the reporting requirements of the LMRDA. The Councils should use the same monetary guidelines as previously outlined in determining which LM financial report form to use. (Part V. Federal Reporting of the UOPM)

CWA Disaster Relief Fund
Members are eligible for an assistance grant if their home is damaged due to a FEMA declared natural disaster. The National CWA program allows up to 6 months to submit the application for assistance. You can utilize this simple FEMA Declaration tool to see if your local resides in one of the areas affected and can share the benefit with your members. www.fema.gov/disaster/declarations

Please refer to the CWA Disaster Relief Fund Member Handbook. We want to make sure every eligible member has updated information to access financial assistance in the event of a FEMA declared natural disaster. Members and their locals have six (6) months from the date of the disaster declaration to file the Disaster Relief Fund application with the District staff assigned to the Disaster Relief Fund.

Some CWA Districts and Sectors also provide hardship grants. Please promote the National program alongside these programs as members are not limited to just one source of support.

UNION PLUS Disaster Relief Grant Reminder: Members who live in areas impacted by declared natural disasters in the last 24 months, and who participate in the Union Plus Credit Card, Mortgage, Life Insurance, Accident Insurance, Auto Insurance, Personal Loan, and Retiree Healthcare programs may be eligible to access Union Plus Disaster Relief Grants. Eligible members must have their primary residence in a county or parish designated by FEMA as eligible for Individual Assistance. No proof of property damage is required. Learn more at unionplus.org/disaster.

If you have questions or need assistance, please contact Kevin Celata at kcelata@cwa-union.org

 

In Unity,

Ameenah Salaam
Secretary-Treasurer