Residuals Make This Former ‘Y&R’ Actor Ineligible for Unemployment Benefits

[Errol]

Actor Ben Hermes (ex-Benjamin Hochman, “The Young and the Restless”) has learned that he doesn’t qualify for the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program due to the residuals he’s received from his appearances in such shows as “CSI: Miami,” “Dollhouse” and “Great News,” among others. Residuals are payments made to SAG-AFTRA union members whose work is re-broadcast on television, a streaming service, or any other form of visual media, including radio, commercials and DVD/Blu-ray sales. “Y&R” is Hermes’ most recent acting credit, per his IMDb page.

 

Hermes is seeking unemployment assistance as he was recently furloughed from his freelance work as the creative director for a digital marketing company. “There are other states finding ways of making it possible for 1099 earners, the vast majority of their income coming from 1099, in order to allow them to have an appropriate amount of UI,” said Hermes in a recent on-air interview with ABC7 (KABC). “What I was awarded is just not going to be sufficient in order to help my family.”

Hoping for help from California’s Employment Development Department, Hermes couldn’t get anyone on the phone. “I’m upset about the wasted amount of time I’ve spent over the last seven weeks researching and doing webinars and trying to contact EDD to no avail,” he says. “And then when I do get to contact and reach a person, they hang up on me.”

Through April 25, 2020, the EDD has received and processed 3.4 million claims, of which 2.5 million are receiving benefits, notes ABC7. Nearly one million claimants have yet to receive benefits.

 

For more on this story, watch Hermes’ interview below.

Editor’s Note: This story has been corrected and better reflects that residuals from Hermes’ other acting credits are contributing to the problem, and not specifically “Y&R.” ABC7 has also corrected its story on its website.

 

The post Residuals Make This Former ‘Y&R’ Actor Ineligible for Unemployment Benefits appeared first on Soap Opera Network.

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[AbcNbc247]

Wow

 

I've heard stories about people on government assistance having to quit their part time jobs because they would make too much money to qualify but I didn't think residuals paid that much. Do things like the amount of years since the episode last aired or something, matter when it comes to how much is paid out from residuals?

Edited May 8, 2020 by AbcNbc247

[soapfan770]

 

I've heard of residuals running from $1 to sometimes well over $1000 with of course some of the biggest name stars even being paid out $1 million every couple of years. I don't know what else Mr. Hermes has acted in but if he's even appeared in some other popular primetime shows that get rerun I'd say its possible he gets a couple hundred dollars. Not sure how that unemployment law works though. I've also heard one can get residuals from international rebroadcasts as well but not sure if that's correct or how that works. 

Edited May 8, 2020 by soapfan770

[AbcNbc247]

I think the laws are different in every state, but if you do make a certain amount of income over the course of a few months I think, the government will take you off unemployment. 

 

It is nice to make some money off of that though. When Kim Zimmer said she only made like .25 cents in residuals, I thought that was the amount that most actors made.

[DramatistDreamer]

From what I've heard (and I could be wrong), the more time passes, the less the amount in residuals, which is why you might have actors who were in episodes in the 1970s and 1980s saying that they literally make cents on the dollar per episode.

[soapfan770]

 

That's interesting, and I wondered if it also depends on how often something gets reran  or type of project it was too. I remember years ago reading how actors from something like Silver Spoons, Punky Brewster, Mr. Belverdere, etc. were getting pennies while some guy from the A Christmas Story movie was getting a few grand still while the Friends cast were getting six figures and up. 

[Wendy]

Being serious: Did this person ever appear on any "Law & Order" episodes or the spinoffs (SVU, Criminal Intent)? Because all 3 are still all over TV, reran day and night. And I know those shows were big on using soap talent in roles.

 

That could also be a possibility.

[ReddFoxx]

It's confusing to understand how residuals work because there seem to be various ways that they are distributed. From what I've read residuals decline each time the show completes a run in syndication. https://www.backstage.com/magazine/article/calculating-sag-residuals-17706/

 

Some shows don't run in syndication all the time, so it's possible for some actors to not exhaust to 5% for a long time.

 

 

[DramatistDreamer]

 

Which explains why some shows from the 1970s and 1980s (e.g. What's Happening!) might yield less in residuals than say, Friends or Seinfeld.  Also, not all syndication deals are equal.  What the producers of Friends are going to negotiate in syndication is going to be worth a lot more than what a show like The Middle or Community is going to yield in residuals, let alone the syndication deal that a show from decades ago might've negotiated. 

A movie like A Christmas Story (which generally airs at one time of year) is going to yield more in ad dollars and residuals than Who's The Boss, which debuted at around the same year. A decent movie is usually going to yield more than a decent TV show.  Not including blockbusters or the "Must See T.V." hits of the 90s, for which an entirely different calculus is required.

 

It kind of explains why a show like I Love Lucy, which used to be in heavy syndication in the 80s when I was little, rarely airs on regular T.V. these days, except for specials.  It was probably a planned strategy not to "devalue" the series.

Streaming is a different kettle of fish (for now)-- streaming takes in less ad dollars, although it will be interesting to see if that changes with this pandemic elevating streaming on all platforms, those that operate from subscriber fees and those that rely on ads.

[Errol]

Please note: The article on the site and the message board post has been updated to reflect that "Y&R" is not the sole factor when it comes to the issue of residuals pertaining to this actor. The ABC7 story has since been updated to correct their report as well (their video interview remains unedited).

 

He's appeared in an episode of "CSI: Miami," "Two and a Half Men," "Zoey 101," "Criminal Minds" and "Cold Case." Those shows I'm sure pay the best in residuals compared to the other credits he has.

[te.]

 

I think it also depends on the contract they signed - I can imagine soaps doesn't offer great contracts when it comes to residuals. Mariska Hargitay as an example took a pay cut about a decade ago on Law & Order: SVU in exchange of getting more of the residual cut on that show. Charlie Sheen stupidly sold his residual rights to Two and a Half Men when he needed quick cash.

[DramatistDreamer]

 

So many variables, right??  I feel sorry for any actor, writer or pro who doesn't have good representation when faced with these decisions because the calculus sounds a bit complex.