Life Events
 

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

  Eligibility Requirements
  Continuing Eligibility
  Reciprocal Agreements
  When Eligibility Ends
  Reinstatement of Eligibility
  Life Events At-A-Glance
  Losing Your Eligibility
  Out of Work Due to Disability
  In The Event of Your Death
  COBRA Continuation Coverage
  Serving in the Uniformed Service
  Family and Medical Leave Act
  Returning to Work
 

Eligibility Requirements

For Active Employees
Initial Eligibility

You become eligible for coverage under the Plan if you:

• Perform work under the jurisdiction of the Carpenters' District Council of Kansas City and Vicinity; and

• Have at least 700 hours of work for which contributions were received on your behalf during a 6-month period; or

• 1,000 hours of work for which contributions were received on your behalf during a nine-consecutive month period; or

• 1,300 hours of work for which contributions were received on your behalf during a 12-consecutive month period.

Coverage begins on the first day of the second calendar month following the calendar month in which you meet one of the above requirements.
 

Initial Eligibility Contribution Requirements

Example
Charles begins work on December 1, 2003 and completes 700 hours of work for which contributions are received in the six consecutive month period ending May 31, 2004.  He will be eligible for benefit coverage beginning July 1, 2004.

Dependent Eligibility

Eligible Dependents include your:

• Legal Spouse
• Unmarried children under the age of 19
• Unmarried children at least age 19 but less than 24 who are primarily dependent on you for full support and maintenance and who are full-time students. To be eligible for coverage, your Dependent must provide proof of full-time student status to the Fund Office for each term or semester. Under the Plan, your child is considered a full-time student if he or she is enrolled for at least 12 semester hours or the equivalent at an accredited school, college or university and you provide proof of full-time status from the educational institution.
• Your unmarried children who you are required to provide medical coverage for under a Qualified Medical Child Support Order (QMCSO) and meet the eligibility requirements of a dependent child; and
• Unmarried children over age 19 who are incapable of self-sustaining employment because of mental or physical handicap provided the children depend on you primarily for support and maintenance and you provide proof of incapability to the Fund Office within 31 days after the Dependent reaches age 19, or within 31 days of the date your eligibility is established, whichever is later.  Proof of continuing incapability may also be required from time to time but not more often than once a year.

In addition to your natural born child, children covered under the Plan include your stepchildren living in your home, adopted children, children placed for adoption and Foster Children, provided the children are dependent on you for support and maintenance.

Eligible Dependents do not include Dependents that are in the Uniformed Services on a full-time basis.

If you and your spouse are both eligible Employees under the Plan:

• Your children may be covered as Dependents of both of you only to the extent that 100% of the Covered Expenses claimed may be reimbursed; and
• Your spouse will be considered an eligible Dependent only to the extent that 100% of the covered Expenses claimed may be reimbursed.

Dependent Coverage begins on the same date your eligibility begins, or if applicable, a later date such as the date you acquire an eligible Dependent or as specified in a Qualified Medical Child Support Order.

For Retirees

You become eligible for coverage under the Self-Pay Plan if you:

• Are eligible for benefits under the Carpenters' District Council of Kansas City and Vicinity Health Plan on the effective date of your retirement;
• Have 15 pension Credits under the Carpenters' District Council  of Kansas City Pension Fund (excluding pension credits earned before a permanent break in service); and
• Have been eligible for benefits under the Plan for 48 out of the last 60 months before your retirement.

Many benefits under the retiree Self-Pay Plan are the same as those for active Employees, except that there are no Dental, Vision or Accidental Death and Dismemberment Benefits.  The Trustees reserve the right to implement other benefit differentials or retiree Plan changes as they deem appropriate in order to maintain the Fund's financial viability.

When you initially apply for benefits from the Pension Fund, you will be given the opportunity to apply for coverage in the Self-Pay Plan.  It is important to note that upon your initial retirement, if you are eligible to participate in the retiree Self-Pay Plan, but choose not to, you will not be given the opportunity at a later time to re-apply.

The retiree Self-Pay Plan offers two types of coverage: a) coverage for yourself or b) coverage for yourself and any Dependents. If, at the time of your initial retirement, you choose to purchase coverage for yourself only, you will not be given the opportunity to add coverage for Dependents at a later date.

You must apply for retiree coverage by submitting a completed application to the Fund Office at least 30 days before your active eligibility terminates. After your application is received, the Fund Office will notify you of the date your eligibility for active coverage, based on Employer contributions, will end and your first Retiree premium will become due. You will also be provided with the option of having your monthly premium deducted from your monthly pension check. Your eligibility for active coverage will continue until your eligibility, based on Employer contributions, ends. To continue eligibility under the retiree Self-Pay Plan, you must make the required payment no later than the first of the month following the month after your active eligibility ends. The Trustees establish the self-payment rates, which may be changed at any time. If your self-payment rate changes, you will be notified in writing.

If you are an active Employee and lose eligibility for active coverage due to retirement and do not meet the eligibility requirements or choose not to elect retiree coverage, you may be eligible for COBRA Continuation coverage. COBRA Continuation coverage provides the same benefits as active coverage except that there are no Weekly Accident and Sickness, Death or Accidental Death or Dismemberment Benefits.

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Continuing Eligibility

For Active Employees

Your eligibility will continue on a month-to-month basis as long as your are working or are available for work, in employment and your Employer (who has contractual obligation to contribute to the Plan) contributes at least:

• 700 hours of contributions during the preceding six-consecutive month period; or
• 1,000 hours during the preceding 12-consecutive month period.

Continuing Eligibility Contribution Requirements

If your Employer stops making contributions on your behalf, you may be able to continue coverage by electing COBRA Continuation Coverage and making the self-payments for that coverage.  For more information on COBRA Continuation Coverage, click here.

For Retirees

Your eligibility for retiree coverage will continue as long as you make the required payment by the first of each succeeding month. If your monthly payment is not received by the Fund Office, you will lose eligibility for coverage. If you should return to work as an active Employee and you become eligible for active coverage, you will have the same benefits as an active Employee. Once you are no longer eligible as an active Employee, you will be reinstated into the Retiree Self-Pay Plan as long as your monthly premium is paid.

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Reciprocal Agreements - When You Work In Another Jurisdiction

The Plan is a signatory to the Master Reciprocal Agreement for Carpenter Health and Welfare Funds. When you work in another jurisdiction and your Employer contributes to another health and welfare fund, the Reciprocal Agreement allows for the return of contributions made on your behalf back to this Fund.

In order to get your contributions returned to this Fund, you must complete a form that is available at the Fund Office (and will be available on this website) and submit it to the health and welfare fund where your contributions were paid. If you decide not to have the contributions made on your behalf reciprocated back to this Fund, the hours reported will not be considered when determining your eligibility for benefit coverage.

Contact the Fund Office for a list of funds participating in reciprocity agreements with the Carpenters' District Council of Kansas City and Vicinity Health Fund.

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When Eligibility Ends

When your coverage ends, you will be provided with certification of your length of coverage under the plan. This may help reduce or eliminate any pre-existing condition limitation under a new group medical plan.

For Active Employees

When you or your eligible Dependent's coverage ends, you or he or she may be eligible to continue coverage by making self-payments for COBRA Continuation Coverage.  To find out more about COBRA Continuation Coverage click here.

Your eligibility for coverage under the Plan will end on the earliest of the following:

• The last day of the month following the month in which your contribution hours are less than the minimum required for continuing eligibility;

• The first day you work for an employer who is no longer required to contribute to the fund;

• The day you work in employment in the jurisdiction of the Fund for an employer that is not required to contribute to the Fund.

• The last day of the month following the month in which the local union or other collective bargaining unit representing you terminates its participation in the Fund (for this purpose, a local union or other bargaining unit is considered terminated as of the last day its Collective Bargaining Agreement requires Employer contributions to the Fund);

• The day the Plan terminates;

• The date you die; or

• The first day of the month following the date you enter the Uniformed Services of the United States and elect to not continue coverage under the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act of 1994 (USERRA).

At the end of each month, the contribution hours, which establish continuing eligibility, are reviewed. If you have not met one of the hour requirements shown during the period below, which ends on the date the test is run, eligibility will end on the date shown in the right-had column.

For Retirees

Your eligibility for retiree coverage under the Self-Pay Plan will end on the earliest of the following:

• The date you return to work as an active Employee and you become eligible for active coverage;

• The date you die;

• The date the Plan terminates; or

• The last day of the month for which your required payment is received by the Fund Office.

For Your Dependents

Your eligible Dependent's eligibility will end on the earliest of:

• The date your eligibility under the Plan ends;

• The date you or your Dependent dies;

• The date the Dependent no longer meets the definition of Dependent under the Plan;

• The date the Plan is modified to terminate or limit Dependent benefits;

• The date the Plan terminates; or

• The date specified in a Qualified Medical Child Support Order.

If your eligible Dependent's coverage ends, your eligible Dependents may be eligible for COBRA Continuation Coverage.

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Reinstatement of Eligibility

If your eligibility ends under the active Plan, you can become eligible again by meeting the initial eligibility requirements.

If you are retired and in the retiree Plan and you return to work as an active Employee, you can become eligible again for active coverage by meeting the initial eligibility requirements. Subsequently, once you are no longer eligible as an active Employee, you will be reinstated into the Retiree Self-Pay Plan as long as your monthly premium is paid.

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Life Events At-A-Glance

Getting Married (For Active Employees)

When you get married, your spouse is eligible for medical, prescription drug, dental and vision coverage. Once you provide any required information, coverage for your spouse begins on the date of your marriage. At this time, you also may want to update your beneficiary information for your Death and AD&D Benefits.

If your spouse is covered under another group medical plan, you must report such other coverage to the Fund Office. The amount of benefits payable under this Plan will be coordinated with your spouse's other coverage; benefits for your spouse under this Plan will be paid after any benefits are payable from your spouse's plan.

Adding A Child

Your natural born child will be eligible for coverage on their date of birth. If you have a Foster Child, adopt a child or have a child placed with you for adoption, coverage will become effective on the date of placement as long as you are responsible for health care coverage and your child meets the Plan's definition of a Dependent. Stepchildren are eligible for coverage on the date of your marriage, provided that they are living in your home, and dependent on you for support. You may also cover a grandchild if you are that individual's legal guardian and he or she lives with you. Once you provide any required information, coverage for your child will begin. The child must meet the Dependent eligibility requirements.

Getting Legally Separated Or Divorced

If you and your spouse get a legal separation or divorce, your spouse will no longer be eligible for coverage as a Dependent under the Plan. However, your spouse may elect to continue coverage under COBRA for up to 36 months. You or your spouse must notify the Fund Office within 60 days of the divorce or legal separation date for your spouse to obtain COBRA Continuation Coverage. At this time, you may also want to review your beneficiary designation for your Death and AD&D Benefits, if eligible.

This Plan recognizes Qualified Domestic Relations Orders (QDROs) and Qualified Medical Child Support Orders (QMCSOs) and provides benefits for eligible Dependents, as determined by the order. A Qualified Medical Child Support Order (QMCSO) is a court order or administrative order, which has the force of law pursuant to the state's administrative procedure, relating to child support that provides for a child's coverage under the Plan. The Fund Office has the authority to determine if a National Medical Support Notice, issued by a state agency is a QMCSO. QMCSOs other than National Medical Support Notices must contain specific information, be submitted to the Plan Administrator and be approved by the Trustees to be qualified. A copy of the Plan's QMCSO qualification procedures is available free of charge at the Fund Office.

Losing Your Eligibility

A detailed description of the requirements needed to continue eligibility is found in the section titled Continuing Eligibility. If you are an active employee and your eligibility ends under the active Plan, you can become eligible again by meeting the initial eligibility requirements as described in Reinstatement of Eligibility.  When your coverage ends, you may be eligible to continue coverage by making monthly self-payments for COBRA Continuation Coverage. 

Child Losing Eligibility

In general, your child is no longer eligible for coverage when he or she marries, is not dependent on you for support or reaches age 19 (or 24 if a full-time student). You must notify the Fund Office within 60 days of when your child is no longer eligible for coverage. Your child may elect to continue coverage by making COBRA self-payments for up to 36 months. See section on COBRA Continuation Coverage.

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Out of Work Due to Disability (For Active Employees)

If you are out of work due to a non-work related disability, you may receive Weekly Accident and Sickness Benefits until you recover or receive the maximum number of weeks of benefits for one period of disability, whichever comes first.

If you are receiving Weekly Accident and Sickness Benefits under the Plan or Workers' Compensation benefits, you will receive 20 hours of work credit for each week, or four hours for each day you are entitled to receive these benefits. No further hours will be credited after your benefits end. No more than 520 hours can be credited for one period of disability. These hours may be used to continue your eligibility under the Plan.

The Fund requires proof of disability that is satisfactory to the Trustees. The Fund also has the right to require you to submit to a medical examination.

If you become disabled due to an Injury that is covered by the AD&D Benefit, you may also be eligible for an AD&D Benefit.

If you are out of work due to a work-related disability, you may be eligible for Workers' Compensation benefits. Contact your local or state Workers' Compensation office. The Fund does not provide coverage for work-related disabilities.

Extending Your Eligibility When you Become Totally Disabled (For Active Employees)

If you are out of work due to a Total Disability, you should notify your Employer and the Fund Office. If you are unable to work due to a non-work related Total Disability, you may be eligible for Weekly Accident and Sickness Benefits and your medical benefits may continue. Totally Disabled means wholly and continuously disabled by a Sickness or accidental bodily Injury that prevents you from being gainfully employed in your own occupation. For Dependents, Totally Disabled means prevented by Illness or Injury from engaging in all normal activities of a person of similar age, gender and in good health.

If your eligibility for coverage ends while you or your Dependent is Totally Disabled, your Comprehensive Medical Benefits may continue for up to 13 weeks, provided: the expenses incurred are related to the same disability and you or your Dependent remains Totally Disabled.  Payments after the calendar year in which your eligibility ends will be subject to a new deductible.

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In the Event of Your Death

If you are eligible for coverage on the date of your death, your beneficiary will receive a Death Benefit (and an AD&D Benefit, for active Employees only, if your death is caused by an accident).

For Active Employees

If you die while an active Employee, coverage for your eligible Dependents will be continued for the period of time that eligibility would be maintained based on your accumulated hours, but not less than 90 days.

If you die while an active Employee and are making self-payments to maintain eligibility, coverage for eligible Dependents will be continued for the month in which you die and for 90-days following the month of your death. No self-payments will be required during the 90-day period.

Your spouse and/or eligible Dependents may continue health care coverage for up to 36 months by electing COBRA Continuation Coverage and making the necessary self-payments.

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When You Leave Covered Employment

COBRA Continuation Coverage

The Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985 (COBRA), is a federal law that requires plans to offer a temporary extension of plan benefits to Employees and eligible Dependents ("Qualified Beneficiaries") who would otherwise lose coverage under a plan. Qualified beneficiaries include you and each Dependent who was covered under the Plan on the day before a qualifying event occurs and who would lose coverage as a result of a "Qualifying Event". Children born, adopted or placed for adoption during the period of COBRA coverage have the same COBRA rights as a spouse or Dependents who were covered by the Plan on the day the event that triggered COBRA Continuation Coverage.

Under certain circumstances, you can continue coverage by making self-payments to the Plan. You will not be eligible to continue coverage for Weekly Accident and Sickness, Death or Accidental Death and Dismemberment Benefits. By making self-payments, you may continue medical and prescription drug benefits and if you were eligible, vision and dental benefits.

The COBRA Continuation Coverage will be identical to the coverage you had under the Plan on the day before the qualifying event. If you have a newborn child, adopt a child or have a child placed with you for adoption (for whom you have financial responsibility) while COBRA Continuation Coverage is in effect, you may add the child to your coverage. You must notify the Fund Office within 60 days, in writing, of the birth or placement to have this child added to your coverage. Like all qualified beneficiaries with COBRA Continuation Coverage, the continued coverage of children born or placed with you for adoption during the period of COBRA Continuation coverage depends on timely and uninterrupted premium payments on their behalf.

Qualifying Events

If you or your Dependents lose coverage as a result of a qualifying event, you are entitled to elect COBRA Continuation Coverage. Qualifying events include your:

• Reduction in hours or termination of employees;
• Death;
• Legal separation or divorce;
• Entitlement to Medicare; and
• Dependent no longer meets the definition of a Dependent under the Plan

When the Fund Office has been notified that one of these events has occurred, you and your eligible Dependents will be notified of the right to elect COBRA Continuation Coverage. Upon notification, the Fund Office will send you a COBRA application and Notice of Health Continuation Procedures.

Notifying the Fund Office

You or your Dependent must inform the Fund Office of a legal separation, divorce or a  child losing dependent status under the Plan within 60 days of the qualifying event. If you do not notify the Fund Office within 60 days of such an event, you and/or your Dependents will lose your right to elect COBRA Continuation coverage. Your employer will notify the Fund Office of your termination of employment or reduction in hours.  To help ensure that you do not suffer a gap in coverage, we urge you or your family to notify the Fund Office of qualifying events as soon as they occur.

When the Fund Office is notified that a qualifying event has occurred, you and your Dependents will be notified of your right to elect COBRA Continuation Coverage. Once you receive a COBRA notice, you have 60 days to respond if you want to elect COBRA Continuation Coverage. Your Dependents have the option to elect coverage independently from you if you choose not to elect COBRA Coverage. If you or your qualified beneficiary choose not to elect coverage and then change your mind, you may revoke your initial election only if your initial election coverage period has not run out. However, COBRA coverage will only begin on the date of your revocation of election.

Period of Coverage

Coverage continues for a maximum of:

• 18 months if your coverage ends due to your termination of employment or your reduction in hours.
• 29 months if you or one of your Dependents is disabled when your coverage ends or if you become disabled within the first 60 days of COBRA coverage. To continue coverage for up to 29 months, you must notify the Fund Office of your determination of disability by the Social Security Administration within 60 days of the determination and before the initial 18 months of COBRA coverage ends.
• 36 months if your spouse or other Dependent's coverage ends because of your death, legal separation or divorce, entitlement to Medicare or eligible Dependent child no longer qualifying for Dependent coverage under the Plan.

Loss of Continued Coverage

COBRA Continuation Coverage for each person will also be terminated if:

• You fail to make the self-payment on time;
• After you have elected COBRA Continuation Coverage, you become covered under another group health plan that has no exclusion or limitation on pre-existing conditions;
• After you have elected coverage, you become entitled to Medicare; or
• The Fund no longer maintains any group health plans.

Paying For COBRA Continuation Coverage

The Fund Office will notify you of the cost of your COBRA Continuation Coverage when it notifies you of your right to coverage. The cost for COBRA coverage will be determined by the Trustees on a yearly basis and will not exceed 102% of the cost to provide this coverage. For disability coverage extensions, the cost of COBRA Continuation coverage will not exceed 150% of the cost to provide this coverage.

Your first payment for COBRA Continuation Coverage must include payments for any months retroactive to the days your and/or your Dependents' coverage under the Plan ended. The Fund Office will notify you of the first payment due date, which is no later than 45 days after your election. Subsequent payments are due the first of the month and are considered timely if made within 30 days after the first day of the month. However, coverage is not effective until payment is received and accepted as timely by the Fund Office. If a payment is late, coverage will be terminated if the payment is not received within 30 days after the first day of the month that payment is due.

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Serving in the Uniformed Services (for Active Employees)

If you are called into the uniformed services (active duty or inactive duty training), you may elect to continue your health coverage, as required by the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act of 1994 (USERRA). Health coverage means Hospital, surgical, medical, dental, vision or prescription drug coverage provided under the Plan.

Service in the uniformed services means the performance of duty on a voluntary or involuntary basis in a uniformed service under competent authority and includes:

• Active duty;
• Active duty for training;
• Initial active duty for training;
• Inactive duty training;
• Full-time National Guard duty; and
• A period for which you are absent from a position of employment for an examination to determine your fitness for duty.

If you elect to continue coverage and you are in the uniformed services for less than 31 days, you must pay your share, if any, of the cost of the coverage. If your service continues for more than 31 days, you may elect to continue coverage under the Plan by making monthly self-payments. To continue coverage, you or your Dependents must pay the required self-payment.

Your coverage will continue until the earlier of:

• The end of the period during which you are eligible to apply for reemployment in accordance with USERRA; or
• 24 consecutive months after your coverage would have otherwise ended.

However, your coverage will end at midnight on the earliest of the day:

• Your coverage would otherwise end as described above;
• Your former Employer ceases to provide any health plan coverage to any Employee;
• Your self-payment is due and unpaid; or
• You again become covered under the Plan.

Your coverage ends on the first day of the month following the date you enter Uniformed Services and elect not to continue coverage. Your eligible Dependents may continue coverage under the Plan by electing and making self-payments for COBRA Continuation Coverage.

You need to notify the Fund Office in writing when you enter the military and when you return to covered employment. For more information about continuing coverage under USERRA, contact the Fund Office.

Following discharge from military service, you may apply for reemployment with your former Employer in accordance with USERRA. Reemployment includes the right to elect reinstatement in the existing health coverage provided by your Employer. According to USERRA guidelines, reemployment and reinstatement deadlines are based on your length of military service.

When you are discharged or released from military service that was:

• Less than 31 days, you have one day after discharge (allowing eight hours for travel) to return to work for a Contributing employer.
• More than 30 days but less than 181 days, you have up to 14 days after discharge to return to work for a Contributing Employer; or
• More than 180 days , you have up to 90 days after discharge to return to work for a Contributing Employer.

When you are discharged, if you are Hospitalized or recovering from an Illness or Injury that was incurred during your military service, you have until the end of the period that is necessary for you to recover to return to or make yourself available for work for a Contributing Employer. The Fund will maintain your prior eligibility status until the end of the leave, provided your Employer properly grants the leave under the federal law and makes the required notification and payment to the Fund.

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Family and Medical Leave Act (For Active Employees)

The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) of 1993 allows you to take up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave for your serious Illness, to care for a child after the birth, adoption or placement for adoption of a child or to care for your seriously ill spouse, parent or child. The Family and Medical Leave Act requires employers to maintain health coverage under any health plan for a length of a leave as if you were still employed. In addition, the Act states that if you take a family or medical leave, you may not lose any benefits that you had accrued before the leave.

To be eligible for FMLA benefits, you must:

• Work for a covered Employer;
• Have worked for the Employer for at least 12 months;
• Have worked at least 1,250 hours over the previous 12 months; and
• Work at a location where at least 50 Employees are employed by the Employer within 75 miles.

If you and your Employer have a dispute over your eligibility and coverage under the Family and Medical Leave Act, your benefits will be suspended pending resolution of the dispute. The Trustees have no direct role in resolving such disputes.

An Employer covered under FMLA may grant you up to a total of 12 weeks of unpaid leave during any 2-month period for one or more of the reasons stated above.

Spouses employed by the same Employer are jointly entitled to a combined total of 12 weeks of family leave for the birth or placement of a child for adoption or foster care and to care for a child or parent (but not parent-in-law) who has a serious health condition.

Under some circumstances, you may take FMLA leave intermittently - which means taking leave in blocks of time, or by reducing your normal weekly or daily work schedule. Intermittent FMLA leave for birth or adoption or foster care placement requires your Employer's approval. FMLA leave may be taken intermittently whenever it is Medically Necessary to care for a family member's serious health condition or because you have a serious health condition and are unable to work.

A covered Employer is required to maintain the same health coverage for you on FMLA leave as the coverage that was provided before the leave was taken and under the same terms as if you had continued work. Therefore, an Employer covered under FMLA must continue to make contributions on your behalf while you are on FMLA leave as though you had been continuously employed.

Upon return from FMLA leave, you must be restored to your original job, or to an equivalent job with equivalent pay, benefits and other employment terms and conditions. In addition, your use of FMLA leave cannot result in the loss of benefits that you earned or were entitled to before using FMLA leave.

Health care coverage during an FMLA leave ends on the earliest of the following dates:

• When you return to work; or
• When 12 weeks of leave ends.

You will not accrue additional benefits or seniority during an unpaid FMLA leave, but you cannot lose benefits you had accrued before your leave. Welfare benefits other than health care must be reinstated when you return to work without any new conditions or need to meet eligibility requirements.

Taking a family or medical leave is not itself considered a COBRA qualifying event. If you return from leave within 12 weeks, there will not be a loss of coverage.

If you do not return from leave, that is considered a COBRA qualifying event.

If you need to take an FMLA leave, your Employer may require you to provide:

• 30-day advance notice of the need to take the FMLA, if the need is foreseeable;
• Medical certifications supporting the need for leave due to a serious health condition affecting you or an immediate family member;
• Second or third medical opinions and periodic re-certifications (at your Employer's expense); and
• Periodic reports during FMLA leave regarding your status and intent to return to work.

When leave is needed to care for an immediate family member or your own Illness, and is for planned medical treatment, you must schedule treatment so that it will not unnecessarily disrupt your Employer's operation. You and your Employer must certify to the Trustees, in writing, that you have been granted leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act.

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Returning To Work

For Active Employees:  If your eligibility ended and you start working again for an Employer who contributes to the Fund, you must once again meet the initial eligibility requirements before you will be eligible for Plan Benefits. If you return to work following a military leave of absence, your coverage will be reinstated as described in Serving in the Uniformed Service above.

For Retirees: Your retiree coverage under the Plan will end when you return to employment and you become eligible for active coverage as the result of hours contributed on your behalf (See Plan's initial eligibility requirements Eligibility Requirements).

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