In light of this latest Spiderman injury ...

[HopeChanged]

Posted: 12/21/10 at 6:50am

I'm wondering what -- if any -- rights do actors and stuntmen have in terms of being protected from harm while working and being compensated if injured while on the job? Aside from opting for unemployment?

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 12/21/10 at 7:12am

Have an insert in the Playbill akin to the surgeon generals warning on cigarettes "this show could be hazardous to everyones health "

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 12/21/10 at 10:34am

I believe producers are required to carry insurance including workman's comp before they can hire union employees. I don't know what the contracts are like, but there must be some sort of reference to liability.

[Fosse76]

Posted: 12/21/10 at 10:42am

The same rights as any other employer. Stunt persons are treated slightly different, since the nature of their job is more risky. Add to that, I'm not familiar enough with Spider-Man, but the impression I get is the the "stunt men" aren't actually persons trained as stuntpersons, but rather performers with the title of "stunt person".

But either way it doesn't matter. Employers are liable for injuries caused at the workplace. I'm not familiar enough with New York State labor laws, but in most states employers are required to carry worker's compensation and liability insurance. It doesn't matter if it's union or not. And it doesn't matter if it is a contract position or not. Contracts cannot exempt anyone from the law.

[theaterkid1015]

Posted: 12/21/10 at 1:22pm

While employers are technically responsible, there is also a mentality from long long ago that is along the lines of, "If you can walk, get onstage." I've heard stories of ballerinas with broken ankles completing ballets. More recently, I think Rachelle Rak fell through a trap door, finished the show, and then got her broken ribs taken care of. I don't know if it's just been passed down from pre-union days or what, but that mentality is very very strong among performers.

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 12/21/10 at 1:56pm

If Merman were in the Spidey suit she would've crawled back into place and finished the damn show.

[leefowler]

Posted: 12/21/10 at 2:02pm

Is it possible that this show will simply be shut down by the insurance company? If that actor had died, which certainly seems to have been possible, wouldn't the settlement be enormous, especially with a show that already had a reputation of being hazardous?

[AEA AGMA SM]

Posted: 12/21/10 at 2:06pm

"If Merman were in the Spidey suit she would've crawled back into place and finished the damn show"

Same with Mary Martin. Those old dames didn't let a silly thing like an injury stop them from working.

[nomdeplume]

Posted: 12/22/10 at 9:54am

Work comp pays squat. And squat for permanent injuries, too. It's just set up to protect the employer from lawsuits where an employee would get adequately compensated. Sometimes there can still be liability, though, and a good independent lawyer can advise on that. A company lawyer is NEVER the employee's lawyer and should be avoided by the employee,

The best thing employees get out of work comp is that their medicals get covered.