You become a Participant after having worked either 1,000 hours of covered employment within any twelve (12) consecutive months or having had employer contributions made on your behalf for four months within any twelve consecutive month period.

A Covered Employee shall begin participation in the Plan on the first day of the month following the earlier of (i) completion of at least 1,000 Hours of Service within any twelve consecutive months, or (ii) qualification for at least four months of Employer Contributions within any twelve consecutive months.

The twelve (12) consecutive month period commencing on January 1 and ending on December 31.

No, enrollment in the Plan is automatic following remittance of Employer Contributions in accordance with the Participation rules of the Plan.

A Plan Participant shall become 100% vested in his or her Individual Account  after (i) earning three consecutive Years of Service without incurring a Permanent Break In Service; (ii) earning five non-consecutive Years of Service, without incurring a Permanent Break In Service; or (iii) attaining Normal Retirement Age while working in Covered Employment.

Participants can become eligible for distribution in several ways:

 1) Retirement on or after Normal Retirement Age (Age 65): The Plan’s Normal Retirement Age is age 65. Upon retirement from covered employment and upon filing a pension application, a Vested Participant may begin receiving his or her benefits thereafter. Participants working in covered employment at age 65 may retire, and, upon filing a pension application, be entitled to retirement benefits, regardless of their Years of Service.

 2) Retirement on or after Early Retirement Age (Age 55): If you are vested and you retire from the food service, gaming or hospitality industry at the end of the month in which you attain age fifty-five (55) or any month thereafter prior to Normal Retirement Age, you will be entitled to your retirement benefits by filing a pension application.

 3) Termination of Employment Prior to Age 55: Vested Participants with Individual Accounts may request the payment of their Individual Account providing they certify on a form required by the Trustees that they have ceased to be an employee of any employer contributing to the Plan or any other employer in the food service, gaming or hospitality industries and have not been so employed for at least 12 consecutive months. Employment shall not be considered terminated if it is interrupted by approved vacation, temporary layoff, temporary incapacity due to illness or accident, an authorized leave of absence, national emergency, or by service with the U.S. armed forces, the government of the United States or the Coast Guard. Prior to any such distribution, a Participant may be asked to provide information concerning his/her current employment in order to verify he/she has ceased to be employed in the industries as defined above. If a Vested Participant withdraws his/her account and returns to one of the industries, he/she will be treated as a new employee for the purpose of re-establishing participation in the Plan and accumulating Vesting Service Credit.

 4) Disability: If you are vested and you become Totally and Permanently disabled prior to normal retirement age, you will be entitled to your Individual Account balance upon submission of an application and satisfactory proof of the disability, subject to the Plan’s spousal consent rules. A disability is deemed to be total and permanent if you submit evidence that you qualified for a Social Security Administration Disability Award related to a physical or mental condition that renders you incapable of working at your regular occupation.

 5) RMD (Required Minimum Distributions): Unless you elect in writing to defer your retirement (and remain employed in covered employment with a contributing employer) beyond age 70 ½, required minimum distributions of your pension benefit will be made to you if you attain age 70 ½ and shall commence not later than April 1 of the calendar year following the calendar year in which you attain age 70 ½, without regard to your actual date of retirement.

No, loans are not permitted under the Plan.

The Board of Trustees shall create and maintain adequate records to disclose each Participant's interest in the Fund. Such records shall be in the form of Individual Accounts, and credits and charges shall be made to such accounts in the manner herein described. Individual Accounts are maintained only for accounting purposes.

If a vested Participant has not receieved any distributions and dies before retirement, said Participant's Account Balance shall be paid to his or her spouse, or if said Participant is not married, to his or her designated Beneficiary (or his or her estate, if there is no designated beneficiary), commencing on the date of the Participant's death, or the date on which the Participant's spouse or designated beneficiary so elects in accordance with the rules of the Plan. If the distribution of a Participant's Pension Plan interest commenced before the Participant's death, the remaining interest will be distributed at least as rapidly as under the method of distribution being used as of the date of the Participant's death; but in any event, any remaining portion of the Participant's interest that is not payable to a Beneficiary designated by the Participant will be distributed within five years after such Participant's death, or any portion of the Participant's interest that is payable to a Beneficiary designated by the Participant will be distributed to over the life of such Beneficiary, commencing not later than one year after the Participant's death. 

Each Participant may designate any person or persons (who may be designated contingently or successively and who may be an entity other than a naural person) as his or her Beneficiary or Beneficiaries, to whom his or her Plan Benefits will be paid if he or she dies before receipt of all such Benefits. Each Beneficiary designation shall be in writing, signed, and in a form prescribed by the Board of Trustees and will be effective only when filed with the Board of Trustees during the Participant's lifetime. Each Beneficiary designation shall be effective when filed with the Board of Trustees, and the last such designation filed with the Board of Trustees shall control. A married Participant shall not be allowed to designate a Beneficiary other than his or her lawful spouse without such spouse's written consent. If a married Participant subsequently desires to revoke such Beneficiary designation and to choose another non-spouse Beneficiary, his or her lawful spouse must consent to such revocation and to the alternate Beneficiary selection.

Any benefits accrued during your period of marriage are considered as Community Property, meaning your ex-spouse is entitled to half of any pension benefits accrued between your date of marriage and date of separation. We recommend that you clearly state the division of assets or waiver of benefits regarding your ex-spouse's interest (if any) in your pension benefits under the Plan. Doing so will help expedite the processing of your application for pension benefits upon retirement.

A Participant eligible for benefits shall file with the Board of Trustees a written benefit request and elections on such form or forms, and subject to such conditions, as the Board of Trustees may require. Spousal consent shall be obtained in the manner and form required by the Retirement Equity Act of 1984, as amended, and regulations issued thereunder, and as determined by the Board of Trustees.