Eligibility for Participation

When and How Do I Become a Participant in the Plan? 

You become a participant in the Plan either on the date you complete 1,000 hours of service with a contributing employer within 12 consecutive months after the date you have completed your first hour of service, or on the first day of the Plan year (July 1 through June 30) when you first complete 1,000 hours of service.  

Example:
You began working in covered employment on May 1, 2023. As of June 30, 2024, you had completed 1,000 hours in covered employment. You began participating in the Plan on July 1, 2024.

If you work for a Contributing Employer in a job not covered by this Plan and such employment is continuous with his employment with that Employer in Covered Employment, his service in such non covered job shall be counted toward a Year of Vesting Service.  This is called Continuous Employment.

Participation will continue unless your service credits are canceled by any of the following events, whichever first occurs:
• You incur a One-Year Break in Service before you become vested in the Plan.
• Should you die prior to retirement and before you become vested in the Plan.

Example:
Using the same example above, after attaining participant status as of July 1, 2024, you worked less than 450 hours for the Plan year ended June 30, 2025. You incurred a one-year break in service for the Plan Year ended June 30, 2025, and lost your status as a participant in the Plan.

If you lose your status as a Participant, you shall again become a Participant after completion of at least 450 Hours of Service in Covered Employment in a Plan year. Upon meeting this requirement, you shall become a Participant as of your initial date of reemployment.

Example:
Using the same example above, you returned to work and completed 450 hours for the Plan year beginning July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2026. You have again attained Participant status for that Plan Year.

An hour of service is each hour you work in covered employment for which an Employer has agreed to contribute to the Plan under a collective bargaining agreement with the Union.

How do I earn a year of service?
 
There are two types of service under the Plan. Years of Service Credit (“Past Service” or “Future Service”) are used to determine eligibility for a Normal, Early or Disability Pension, and the amount of your pension benefit. Years of Vesting Service are used to determine whether you are “Vested”, that is whether you have earned a non-forfeitable right to a pension benefit. Both Service Credit and Vesting Service are measured based on a Plan Year, which is the period from July 1 through June 30.

Service Credit

If you work 1,000 hours or more in covered employment within a Plan year, you will receive one (1) year of service credit. If you work at least 900 but less than 1,000 hours, you will receive ½ year of service credit. If you work at least 450 but less than 900 hours, you will receive ¼ year of service credit. You receive no service credit if you work less than 450 hours in a Plan year.  Here’s the information in table format:

Vesting Service
 
You earn one (1) Year of Vesting Service for each Plan Year during the contribution period in which you worked at least 1,000 hours in covered employment. You can only earn one (1) vesting/service credit in a Plan year. Additionally, you will earn Vesting Service for hours worked for the same employer that is continuous with (either immediately before or after) your work in covered employment.

1,000 Hours = One (1) Year of Vesting Service