You become a Participant in the Plan on the date you commenced employment with your Employer as a Covered Employee.

The Plan Year is October 1st through September 30th. 

If you are an Active Participant, you will become a Vested Participant if you are credited with 5 or more Vesting Credits.

No.

When you reach the age requirement and after you are vested. 

Yes. Any retiree or beneficiary denied a benefit has the right to appeal to the Trustees within 60 days after the date shown on the letter of denial. The rules for filing an appeal are briefly outlined in your Summary Plan Description (SPD). 

You can request an application for retirement no more than 180 days prior to your retirement; however, the completed application must be received at least 30 days prior to the retirement date. 

The Benefit Office will need photocopies of birth certificates for you and your spouse, copy of your marriage license and copies of current photo ID for you and your spouse. If you were divorced, you will also be required to submit a copy of the final judgment in your marital dissolution with any copies of the marital property settlement agreement and Qualified Domestic Relations Order.

You can change your tax withholding as often as you wish by completing a new W4-P and/or state tax withholding forms which can be obtained from the Benefit Office or downloaded from the website. Once these forms are completed, you must return them to the Benefit Office for implementation.

You can change your direct deposit information by completing a new Direct Deposit 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 Benefit Office for implementation. 

Although, the Benefit 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 reasons out of our control. There is a possibility that your check could get lost in the mail. If for any reason, you do not receive your check by the 10th day of the month, you must contact the Benefit Office so that a replacement check can be mail to you. Enrollment in direct deposit will ensure the quickest receipt of your monthly pension benefits. 

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

• Mail or fax a letter to the Benefit Office with your new address or 
• Complete the Address Change Form located on the website and mail or fax to the Benefit Office for processing.

If your former spouse is awarded a portion of your earned benefit through the Plan, it will be necessary to pay out benefits based on a Qualified Domestic Relations Order (QDRO). The QDRO must be issued by a state court judge or other government authority with power to issue orders. You may contact the Benefit Office and request that a sample QDRO and a copy of the QDRO Procedures be provided to you. 

Please call the Benefit Office and advise the Eligibility and Pension Departments that you are getting a divorce or have already gotten divorced. You will also need to submit a FULL copy of your Dissolution of Marriage Judgment, QDRO (Qualified Domestic Relations Order) and Qualified Medical Child Support Order to this office. 

If you die on or after the date benefit payments are scheduled to be paid to you, the death benefits payable under the Plan, if any, are determined by the form of benefit payment you selected.

If you die prior to your retirement and are vested, your surviving spouse will automatically receive a Qualified Preretirement Survivor Annuity provided you have been married to each other for at least one year before your death.

The Benefit Office will send you a Beneficiary Designation form upon request. If you are married and wish to designate someone other than your legal spouse as beneficiary, you must obtain your spouse’s written consent, witnessed by a Notary Public.