We hope everyone is doing well and taking care of themselves and their families.
In light of current conditions locally and after very careful consideration, Boeing South Carolina is continuing its suspension of 787 operations. The suspension could extend beyond the 10 consecutive business days of full pay and therefore, many of our Boeing-badged teammates may become eligible to receive Unemployment Insurance benefits. Eligibility is based on several criteria including the total wages a teammate receives in a week, which includes any paid time away benefits, disability payments, and other calculations.
In coordination with the South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce (SCDEW), Boeing will file for unemployment benefits on behalf of all eligible, Boeing-badged teammates as soon as the eligibility window opens. This group filing process is projected to be much faster than teammates filing individual claims.
We understand this is an anxious time, but we ask teammates to please not file for unemployment benefits on your own. If teammates file prematurely, before they are eligible, or if they file individually, it will very likely significantly delay the time it takes to receive benefits.
While teammates are not yet eligible to receive unemployment benefits and we ask them not to file a claim individually, they are encouraged to create and register an account with SCDEW. Instructions to do that are here: https://dew.sc.gov/covid-hub/jobseekerhub. This account is a user profile that will allow teammates to certify any benefits for which they qualify and want to accept, once Boeing submits the claims. Teammates will receive detailed instructions by mail next week.
As a reminder, teammates who receive unemployment benefits are still covered by all health, insurance and disability plans in which they are enrolled.
We understand these are unprecedented times and appreciate your patience and understanding. We look forward to resuming operations as soon as practically possible for a safe and healthy return for all of our teammates and our business.