Directors Guild of America Producer Pension and Health Plans
Pension and health benefit plans for DGA members.
The Directors Guild of America-Producer Pension and Health Plans are trust funds that provide retirement and health benefits for members of the Directors Guild of America (DGA). Established through collective bargaining agreements between the DGA and producer associations, these plans are legally separate entities from the Guild itself. They are governed by a joint Board of Trustees composed of an equal number of representatives from the DGA and producers.
The Pension Plan originated in 1960, a result of labor disputes in the late 1950s concerning the reuse of films on television, providing members with a formal retirement plan. The Health Plan was subsequently added in 1969 to address the healthcare needs of Guild members. Funding for the plans comes from employer contributions, based on rates and earnings ceilings defined in the collective bargaining agreements, and in some cases, employee contributions.
The organization administers two distinct pension plans: a Basic Pension Plan, which is a defined benefit plan, and a Supplemental Pension Plan, a defined contribution plan. The Health Plan offers comprehensive medical, prescription, dental, and vision benefits. Eligibility for these benefits is determined by meeting minimum earnings thresholds through work in DGA-covered employment for a signatory employer, not by DGA membership alone.
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