Dear Colleagues,
Many of you have been asking about Legal Services Program offered through NYSUT. As NYSUT members, active or retired, you are allowed to access the Legal Services offered through NYSUT's Member Benefits Program. This plan offers access to legal assistance for personal legal matters. The Legal Service Plan is provided by Feldman, Kramer & Monaco, P.C. and is administered by NYSUT Member Benefits Trust Complete information about the plan can be accessed through the link below.
Eligibility
NYSUT members, including retirees, and agency fee payers may enroll. The plan covers the member, spouse or domestic partner who is living with the member (except in divorce/separation matters), unmarried dependent children under age 19 (or under age 25 if they are wholly dependent on the member and are enrolled as full-time students), and dependent parents.
Features
For an annual fee of $85 for in-service members and $55 for retiree members, you receive unlimited access to toll-free legal advice weekdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., as well as a toll-free Hotline for urgent legal assistance outside of these hours. As part of the plan, you have access to a number of other services at no additional charge:
• Telephone advice and consultation with an attorney.
• Coupons for 2 free, hour-long office consultations with a National Legal Office attorney or local referral attorney.
• Legal letters written and phone calls made on your behalf.
• Guaranteed maximum fees for specific legal matters.
• Discounts for uncontested estates - probate.
• Nationwide referral attorney network.
• Legal Security Package that includes a simple will, health care proxy, living will and durable power of attorney.
• Guaranteed hourly rates.
• Advice on identity theft prevention and for identity theft victims.
• Assistance with debt consolidation.
• Assistance with mortgage foreclosure.
• Discounts for personal injury cases.
• Document preparation at fixed rate.
• Preventive Law Guide newsletter.
• Optional Riders for Elder Law and Business Protection.
If your problem can’t be resolved by letter or phone, you will be referred to a participating referral attorney in your geographic area. These attorneys are located throughout the continental U.S.and discount their hourly rates for Plan members to either $200 an hour or 40% less than their standard hourly rate, whichever is lower.
You can also add optional riders to your coverage:
• Elder Law Rider – For $55 more per year, you can have access to Elder Law attorneys who have agreed to reduce their legal fees by 20% for Plan members. These attorneys specialize in the financial and health care needs of the elderly. This rider provides an additional Legal Security Package that includes a simple will, health care proxy, living will and durable power of attorney. Elder Law rider benefits are extended to spouse/domestic partner, parents, parents-in-law, grandparents and grandparents-in-law.
• Business Protection Rider – The cost of this rider is $60. If you have a business of your own, this rider gives you access to attorneys who charge discounted hourly rates to Plan members of either $200 or 40% less than their usual hourly rate, whichever is lower. They provide such services as incorporation and preparation of partnership agreements.