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A new Legal Services Plan opened on January 25, 2017 for eligible FCA, Ford, and General Motors members. It is called UAW-FCA-Ford-General Motors Legal Services Plan. An eligible member can open a new case by calling 1-800-482-7700. Under this new Plan, an eligible UAW member can receive "office work" legal services for a variety of legal matters including Wills, Powers of Attorney, Living Wills, plus deeds, credit reporting, consumer contract questions, real estate advice relating to buys and sales and advice on uncontested divorces and family matters.
In addition low cost referrals will be provided on some other types of cases such as bankruptcy, probate, guardianship and litigation matters. The old Legal Services Plan (which has not been able to open new cases since January 1, 2014) is continuing to work to conclude those cases that remain open. Kenneth Vercammen's Law Office in Edison, NJ is one of the attorneys that prepare Wills, Powers of Attorney, Living Wills. The law office also provides assistance with Probate & Estate Administration. |
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| If a UAW members has any questions about the plan or a prior case opened before January 1, 2014, feel free to contact the National office in Detroit at 800-482-7700. |
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Having a prepaid legal services plan provides the following benefits to workers, their families and their employers:
1) Costly legal problems are avoided when people have access to advice and consultation from a knowledgeable legal adviser;
2) Productivity is enhanced and absenteeism is reduced when workers can focus on their jobs, not their legal problems;
3) Access to the legal justice system (at a very low cost per member) is opened to low and middle income workers who are often disproportionately affected by certain types of consumer fraud, mortgage scams and other legal problems.
The UAW Legal Services Plan addressed workers' problems in just such a cost effective manner handling almost 5 million over the years. The majority of legal problems were handled by providing advice and drafting documents. Other legal problems involved more extensive work – but are still handled in a cost-effective manner.
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“Wealthy people have lawyers. Government funds help poor people to get legal assistance. Working families have often been unable to afford assistance with everyday legal issues and problems.
“For 32 years, UAW Legal Services Plan has pioneered one answer to providing legal help to working families. Through its offices and its panels of private attorneys, the Legal Services Plan has provided legal assistance and representation for a variety of basic legal problems, from buying a home to drafting a will to probating the estate of a parent to addressing debt and foreclosure. With efficient practices, the Plan kept costs down, generally costing approximately $6 per month for each member – much less than the cost of just about any other type of benefit.
“Although the Plan did not and cannot possibly cover all types of legal problems, (Court representation for divorces, for example, has never been covered by UAW Legal Services Plan) it did cover many of the types of matters that concerned working people – providing members with access to the legal justice system and legal help which they would not otherwise have had.
“The Plan is proud of our record of providing high-quality legal services to UAW workers at a low cost. We served Union members and their families on almost 5 million matters through the years. We saved countless homes and helped members with other types of personal matters. We hope that our model will inspire future efforts to bring affordable legal services, and therefore real access to justice, to working families.”
Dolores M. Galea Director
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| The purpose of a prepaid legal services plan is to give working and middle income people access to the legal justice system. Wealthy people and corporations can afford legal advice and representation. Many poor people can find legal help at a legal aid office. Working and middle income Americans have the greatest trouble affording and even locating help for their everyday legal needs. The UAW Legal Services Plan and other prepaid legal services (there are hundreds throughout the country) are based on one idea – a well-run legal services plan can provide basic legal assistance, that would otherwise be unaffordable, in a very cost-effective manner. |
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Under the 2011 labor agreements with GM, Ford and Chrysler, the Legal Services Plan stopped taking new cases at the end of December, 2013. Cases opened before that date are being completed. The new Plan is a different Plan and covers different legal matters.
Here are some matters that may be covered by your new legal services plan:
1. Will and Estates. Everyone needs to plan their estate. That means a will, which directs how assets will be distributed after death. Some people can also benefit from a living trust, though there is work involved in using it correctly. And most people are better off giving instructions on how they want to be taken care of if incapacitated, and at the end of life, through a living will or power of attorney.
2. Power of Attorneys and Deeds. An attorney can review your current documents, discuss if new ones are needed and prepare new ones if necessary.
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| source: http://www.uawlsp.com |
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