If you are eligible to participant in the Plan and your employment commencement date is on or after January 1, 2007, you become a Participant on the first of the month following the month in which you complete at least 1,000 hours of service within a 12-month period. If you leave employment and your participation ends, you must again meet the 12-month requirement. However, your participation will be retroactive to your reemployment commencement date.

If you are getting a divorce, your former spouse may be entitled to receive a portion of your pension payments. The Plan must comply with any order issued by the state divorce court that is a Qualified Domestic Relations Order (QDRO). If you or your attorney have any questions or would like assistance before the QDRO is finalized, please contact the Trust Fund Office for a Sample Order and the Plan's Procedures.

No.

Your benefits are payable only to you or your designated beneficiaries, except for certain divorce and child support orders as required by law.

If your application for benefits is denied, in whole or in part, you will be sent a written notice of denial within 90 days of the date your application is received; 45 days if a claim for Disability Award pension is denied. You may request a review of the denial within 60 days of the date you received the denial notice (180 days in the case of disability). Requests for review must be in writing and submitted to the Fund Office. The Plan Manager will present all appeals to the Board of Trustees or subcommittee appointed by the Board of Trustees. You will receive a decision on the appeal no later than 60 days after receiving the appeal (45 days in the case of disability). It is very important to refer to your Summary Plan Description for the Claims and Appeals Procedures for complete instructions.

Please file your application within at least 90 days of your anticipated retirement date. However, your application must be filed before the last day of the month preceding the month for which benefits are payable.

The Fund Office will need photocopies of the birth certificate and current photo identification for you and your spouse, along with a copy of your marriage certificate. If you were divorced, you will also be required to submit a copy of the final court-filed judgment in your martial dissolution with any copies of the marital property settlement agreement and a Qualified Domestic Relations Order (QDRO).

You may change your tax withholding as often as you wish by completing a new W-4P Form which can be obtained from the Benefit Office or downloaded from the website. Once this form is completed, you must return it to the Fund Office for implementation. Please have the completed form to the Fund Office before the 15th of the month to ensure it is effective for the following month.

You may change your direct deposit information by completing a new Direct Deposit Form which can be obtained from the Fund Office or downloaded from the website. Once this form is completed, you must return it to the Fund Office for implementation. Please have the completed form to the Fund Office before the 15th of the month to ensure it is effective for the following month.

Although, the Fund Office makes every effort to ensure that your monthly benefit arrives on time, sometimes it is possible that the delivery of your check is delayed beyond our control. If you do not receive your check by the 10th day of the month, you must contact the Fund Office so that a replacement check can be mailed to you. Please contact the Fund Office if you are interested in receiving your monthly pension benefit electronically and our office will send a Direct Deposit form for your completion.

For your protection, all address changes must be submitted in writing. You can change your address in one of two ways:

a) Mail or fax a letter to the Fund Office with your new address; or,
b) Complete the Address Change Form located on the website and mail or fax to the Fund Office for processing.