This page explains general rules as published by SAG-AFTRA and isn't legal advice. Check the current agreement for your production or ask the union.
Where the name comes from
The Taft-Hartley Act of 1947 amended the National Labor Relations Act. Among other things, it banned closed shops, where only existing union members could be hired, while allowing union-security agreements that require employees to join or pay fees after a grace period. The NLRB describes that period as within 30 days of being hired. That's the legal basis for the entertainment version: a union production can hire a non-member, and that person has 30 days before union membership becomes a condition of further union work.
How it plays out on a production
SAG-AFTRA agreements include preference of employment rules, which require producers to hire qualified union members first in most zones. If the director wants a non-member, the producer can hire them but must file a Taft-Hartley report with the reason, such as a special skill, a unique physical look, or a real person playing themselves. SAG-AFTRA's service center says the report is due within 15 days of the performer's initial work date. The report typically goes in with the performer's photo and resume.
Example: casting finds a 70-year-old fisherman in Gloucester whom the director wants for a speaking role. He's never acted. The production books him for two days, confirms through Station 12 that he isn't a member, and files the report within 15 days of his first day, noting he's a working fisherman cast for authenticity.
What the performer should know
After being Taft-Hartleyed, the performer is SAG-AFTRA eligible. They can work union jobs for 30 days from that first job without joining. After that, they're a must-join and have to join before taking another union job. Joining means paying the initiation fee and dues, and then Global Rule One stops them from taking non-union work.
Producer mistakes
Filing late, or not at all, and getting a claim for preference of employment damages. Treating the report as a formality and writing "director's choice" instead of a real reason. Forgetting that low-budget agreements may have their own terms for non-members. The Taft-Hartley explainer goes step by step through the form.