In this timely repost (with some updated rates), we consider why the Thanksgiving holidays are so good for USA-based stand-ins.

We hope you get monetary gravy this year!

— The Editor

Thanksgiving is upon us!

For stand-ins, Thanksgiving can be an especially wonderful holiday. If you are a SAG-AFTRA stand-in working under the Television Agreement or the Theatrical Agreement in the Los Angeles Zone or the New York Zone, both Thanksgiving and the Day After Thanksgiving (i.e., Black Friday) are holidays under those two major union contracts.

Although you probably will not be working on either of these two days, if you happen to stand in on a single production on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving plus on the Monday immediately following these two holidays, you will qualify for holiday pay under the contracts.

Why is that exciting? It’s exciting because you qualify for two days of holiday pay: one check for Thanksgiving and another check for the Day After Thanksgiving!

That means you will qualify for 8 hours of pay for each of those days. (As of this post, most stand-ins will receive $253 (pre-tax), and some television stand-ins on certain television series will receive slightly more at $261). The rate tends to increase each year around July 1st.)

Productions tend to issue you a voucher on Monday for your present day of work, plus two additional vouchers for each of the two holidays.

If you qualify for holiday pay and production doesn’t say anything, definitely ask!

Have you ever qualified for holiday pay around the Thanksgiving holidays? Share your experiences in the comments below!