The BMWED has approved Disaster Relief Benefits for members affected by the severe flooding in Kentucky. These benefits are available to members residing in any of the 120 Kentucky counties where a federal emergency disaster has been declared by President Donald J. Trump due to the flooding and its effects. To qualify, members must meet the criteria outlined in the BMWED Disaster Relief Policy below.

BMWED Disaster Relief Policy

Disaster Relief benefits are intended to aid BMWED members in need to offset incurred expenses with loss of residence/housing and/or loss of work of BMWED members residing and/or working within the declared emergency/disaster zone (i.e., identified by Zip Codes) as a result of the declared emergency/disaster. Loss of Residence/Housing and/or Loss of Work for eligibility of such benefits are defined and provided below:

• Loss of Residence/Housing – The inability of BMWED Member/Family to reside in their  home as result of home being uninhabitable resulting from disaster for a period of no less than three (3) days. Statement of Claim must be made indicating the factors that made the home uninhabitable with supporting evidence (i.e., photos) to the home structure that prohibits its ability to provide adequate shelter/humane or habitable living conditions. While not inclusive, examples would be significant structural damage to the home, long periods (3 days or more) without immediate power, water or sewer to the home, extreme flooding, fire/smoke damage, etc., that would require leaving the home and staying in motels/hotel, campground, bed & breakfasts, VRBOs and like facilities (with receipts required).

NOTE: Staying with friends or family will not qualify for such benefits as such are intended to offset costs with displacement whereby actual expenses were incurred to stay outside of the home.

• Loss of Work (With actual loss of Wages) – The inability to work (voluntarily) of a BMWED Member as a result of the declared disaster to address issues at home related to the disaster (i.e. home repairs and/or clean-up directly related to the habitability of the home, etc.,) or the inability to work (involuntarily) of the BMWED Member as a result of being unable to report due to travel restricted as a result of declared disaster or Employer cuts/furloughs related to the declared disaster for no less than three (3) working days (24 working straight time hours). In either instance, evidence of lost wages, such as payroll summaries, payroll stubs or like documentation will be required before consideration of benefits can be determined. The use of paid time off will not disqualify an applicant from receiving the benefit.

Benefit Level(s): Upon the National Division President’s determination to provide such benefits, per the required criteria in paragraph 1 of this policy, no qualifying BMWED Member shall receive in excess of $500.00 for meeting either one or both of the conditions set forth above.

Enhanced Disaster Relief Benefits: In cases of extended Federal/National Declarations of Emergencies/Disasters as defined in paragraph 1 of this policy, where BMWED Members have been severely affected by such declared emergency or disaster and are displaced from their homes no less than six (6) days under the same conditions defined under the “Loss of Residence/Housing” Section (above), and/or where BMWED Members are unable to work under the same conditions defined “Loss of Work (With actual loss of Wages)” (above) under no less than four working (4) days (equivalent to 40 working straight time hours). Or where BMWED Members incurred both loss of adequate living conditions and work (involuntarily or voluntarily as result of the emergency event, as defined in bullet points 1 and 2 above). The National Division President, the National Division Secretary-Treasurer, or their designees may, offer enhanced benefit for BMWED Members that were severely affected and that meet such qualifying requirements in this section not to exceed $1,000.00.

Duplication of Benefits: No BMWED Member who in the current Fiscal Year qualified for, and was provided with BMWED Disaster Relief Benefits (Standard or Enhanced), shall be provided any duplication of benefits in the same National Division Fiscal year (i.e. no BMWED Member shall qualify for more than one BMWED provision of Disaster Relief Benefit even if there were more than one declared Federal/National Disaster Event in their area of residence).

Deadline: Applications must be submitted within fourteen (14) days of the BMWED National Division’s announcement of a specific Disaster Relief Benefit. 

Members who believe they are eligible for disaster relief should complete the application form (linked below) and submit it, along with the required documentation, to disasterrelief@bmwe.org.