(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, when motion picture production workers are employed by one or more affiliated entities of a motion picture payroll services company that has elected to be treated and is being treated as the employer of those motion picture production workers pursuant to Section 679, the motion picture payroll services company may apply to the director for approval of the extension of an existing voluntary plan or plans for the payment of disability benefits to all motion picture production workers employed by all of the affiliated entities of the motion picture payroll services company. The director shall approve the extension of the voluntary plan to all of the motion picture production workers of all of the affiliated entities if he or she finds all of the following exist:
(1) The voluntary plan to be extended was in existence at the time of the election of the motion picture payroll services company to be treated as the employer of motion picture production workers pursuant to Section 679.
(2) The rights afforded to the covered employees are greater than those provided for in Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 2625) and Chapter 7 (commencing with Section 3300) of Part 2 of Division 1.
(3) The plan has been made available to all of the motion picture production workers of the employer employed in this state.
(4) If the plan provides for insurance, the form of the insurance policies to be issued has been approved by the Insurance Commissioner and the policies are to be issued by an admitted disability insurer.
(5) The motion picture payroll services company has consented to the extension of the plan and has agreed to make the payroll deductions required, if any, and transmit the proceeds to the plan insurer, if any.
(6) The plan provides for the inclusion of future employees in the manner described in subparagraph (A) of paragraph (2) of subdivision (b).
(7) (A) The plan will be in effect for a period of not less than one year and, thereafter, continuously, unless the director finds that the motion picture payroll services company or a majority of motion picture production workers employed in this state covered by the plan has given notice of withdrawal from the plan. The notice shall be filed in writing with the director and shall be effective only on the anniversary of the effective date of the plan next following the filing of the notice, but in any event not less than 30 days from the date of the filing of the notice.
(B) Notwithstanding the provisions of subparagraph (A), the plan may be withdrawn on the operative date of any law increasing the benefit amounts provided by Sections 2653 and 2655 or on the operative date of any change in the rate of worker contributions as determined by Section 984, if notice of the withdrawal from the plan is transmitted to the director not less than 30 days prior to the operative date of that law or change. If the plan is not withdrawn on 30 days’ notice because of the enactment of a law increasing the benefit amounts provided by Sections 2653 and 2655 or because of a change in the rate of worker contributions as determined by Section 984, the plan shall be amended to conform to that increase or change on the operative date of the increase or change.
(8) The amount of deductions from the wages of an employee in effect for any plan shall not be increased on a date other than an anniversary date of the effective date of the plan, except to the extent that any increase in the deductions from the wages of an employee allowed by Section 3260 permits that amount to exceed the amount of deductions in effect. The amount of deductions, for the purpose of providing coverage under the plan, shall not exceed that which would be required by Sections 984 and 985 if the employee were not covered by the plan.
(9) The approval of the extension of the plan will not result in a substantial selection of risks adverse to the Disability Fund.
(b) The extension of a plan approved by the director pursuant to subdivision (a) shall be deemed to have also met the consent requirements of Section 3257 if both of the following requirements are met:
(1) The plan met the consent requirements of Section 3257 when initially adopted.
(2) The plan provides for both of the following:
(A) Each employee to whom the plan is applicable shall be given written notice of his or her right to reject coverage under the plan and a written statement setting forth the essential features of the plan prior to or at the time of employment. The form of the notice and of the statement shall be approved by the director.
(B) On or before January 31 of each calendar year, each employee shall be given written notice, in a form approved by the director, of his or her right to withdraw from the plan at the beginning of any calendar quarter upon giving reasonable notice in writing directed to the motion picture payroll services company.
(Added by Stats. 2008, Ch. 391, Sec. 2. Effective January 1, 2009.)