Becoming a Participant
You become a Participant in this Plan on the February 1 or August 1 after you work for a Contributing Employer for at least 300 hours in Covered Employment during a twelve-consecutive-calendar-month period. After January 31, 1976, hours worked in Continuous Non-Covered Employment for a Contributing Employer will also be counted towards satisfying the 300-hour requirement.
Termination
You cease to be a Participant at the end of any Plan Credit Year in which you incur a One-Year Break in Service, unless you are a Pensioner or a Vested Participant.
If your participation is terminated, you will again become a Participant by completing at least 300 hours in Covered Employment during a Plan Credit Year following the Plan Credit Year in which your participation ended.
Separation from Covered Employment
If you have not worked at least 300 hours in Covered Employment (or if prior to February 1, 1976, one quarter of a Year of Credited Future Service) for 2 consecutive Plan Credit Years, at the end of the second Plan Credit Year, you will have a Separation from Covered Employment.
Exception: If you are absent due to periods of Qualified Military Service, you may not be subject to a Separation from Covered Employment.
Exception: If you are absent due to disability, you may be entitled to Disability Hour Credit that may help prevent a Separation from Covered Employment.
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Credited Service is required to qualify for any type of pension provided by the Plan with the exception of a Service Pension. A Service Pension is based upon Benefit Units.
Credited Service is granted for work performed, within a Plan Credit Year, for employers who contribute, or who are required to contribute, to the Pension Trust Fund by a collective bargaining agreement. Credited Service is also granted for work performed, within a Plan Credit Year, for a Contributing Employer in Continuous Non-Covered Employment after January 31, 1976, so long as the combined hours are sufficient to earn one full Year of Credited Service. Credited Service is also granted for employment as a cement mason in the Building and Construction Industry in Northern California and for certain other employment before this Pension Plan was established as well as for periods of Qualified Military Service.
Credited Service is earned in different ways for employment before and after February 1, 1959, and before and after February 1, 1976. These different ways of earning Credited Service are explained on the following pages.
Once you have earned enough Credited Service to be Vested in the Plan, you have a right to future accrued benefits under the Plan upon attaining Normal Retirement Age or any type of pension once you have satisfied its age and service requirements.
Generally, Benefit Units are earned for all work in Covered Employment for which Employers contribute or are required to contribute to the Pension Fund by a Collective Bargaining Agreement. You do not earn Benefit Units for work in Continuous Non-Covered Employment.
Benefit Units are earned for employment of the kind covered by the Collective Bargaining Agreement if worked before contributions began, that is, before February 1, 1959.
The amount of your pension is based, in part, on the number of Benefit Units earned prior to February 1, 1980, if applicable.
On and after February 1, 1980, you continue to accrue Benefit Units for work in Covered Employment; however, your pension amount is based on a percentage of eligible contributions paid on your behalf.
Benefit Units earned for work in Covered Employment both before and after February 1, 1980, are also used to determine eligibility for a Service Pension.
For complete information, CONTINUE READING.
Once you achieve Vested status, you are entitled to a future benefit from the Plan, even if you stop working and never return to work in Covered Employment. A benefit will be payable once you meet the age and service requirements for a pension under the Plan.
For vesting rules before September 1, 1976, you should refer to the Plan Rules and Regulations.
Vested Status - September 1, 1976 through August 31, 1996
If you are a Participant, you achieve Vested status once you have accumulated 10 Years of Credited Service, not counting any Credited Service lost due to a Permanent Break in Service.
Non-Bargained Employees after September 1, 1989
If you are a Participant who 1) is a Non-Bargained Employee and 2) has worked at least one hour in Covered Employment after August 31, 1989, you achieve Vested status once you have accumulated 5 Years of Credited Service, not counting any Credited Service lost due to a Permanent Break in Service.
Vested Status - September 1, 1996 through December 31, 1996
If you are a Participant who has worked at least 300 hours in Covered Employment between September 1, 1996 through December 31, 1996, you achieve Vested status once you have accumulated 8 Years of Credited Service, not counting any Credited Service lost due to a Permanent Break in Service.
Vested Status - On and after January 1, 1997
If you are a Participant who has not experienced a Permanent Break in Service, and you have at least one hour of work in Covered Employment on or after January 1, 1997, you will achieve Vested status once you have accumulated at least 5 Years of Credited Service, not counting any Credited Service lost due to a Permanent Break in Service.
Note: Once you have a Permanent Break in Service, any Credited Service earned or accumulated prior to the Break in Service is not counted for vesting or eligibility purposes.
Permanent Break in Service rules apply only if you are not Vested. Once you are Vested you cannot lose your 1) Participant status, 2) Credited Service, 3) Benefit Units, or 4) accrued benefits.
A Break in Service may be temporary and repairable, or it may be Permanent and not repairable.
A Permanent Break in Service means that participation previously earned, Credited Service, Benefit Units, and accrued benefits are canceled.
For complete information CONTINUE READING.
Credited Future Service, Benefit Units, and Accrued Benefits during Periods of Disability
In order to be considered for this credit, you must have received either 1) temporary California State Disability Insurance Benefits (SDI) or 2) temporary workers’ compensation disability benefits.
In order to receive credit for a period of disability, you must provide proof of your disability on a form approved by the Board. You may file for this credit when you have received your last temporary SDI disability payment or your last temporary workers’ compensation disability payment, or at the time you file your pension application. It is suggested that you keep records of any period(s) of 1) temporary California State Disability Insurance (SDI) payments or 2) temporary workers’ compensation payments made to you. You will be asked to submit copies as proof of receipt when applying for Disability Hour Credit.
Disability credit is granted as follows:
From February 1, 1971, through January 31, 1976 credit granted for each week of disability will depend on when the disability occurred and the Participant’s age at the time. To determine your right to credit and the amount of credit, you should refer to the Plan Rules and Regulations. You may request a copy of the Plan Rules and Regulations by calling the Trust Fund Office.
For periods of disability from February 1, 1959 through January 31, 1971 and periods of disability after February 1, 1976, you may receive up to 8 hours of disability credit for each day that you are paid temporary SDI or temporary workers’ compensation disability benefits to a maximum of 40 hours per week. You will be granted Disability Hour Credit for those periods that constitute a valid waiting period.
