Eligibility for Participation

When 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 you have completed your first hour of service or, at the beginning of a fiscal year, (July 1 through June 30) when you first complete 1,000 hours of service.

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.
• You should die prior to retirement and before you become vested in the Plan.
  

What is an hour of service?

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 year of service credit. If you work at least 900 but less than 1,000 hours, you will receive ½ year of service credit. Or, 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.

Vesting Service
 
You earn a 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 will also earn Vesting Service for hours worked for the same employer that is continuous with (either immediately before or after) your work in covered employment.