Health and Welfare Summary Plan Description
4.7 Suspension/Cancelation of Retiree Benefits
- Prohibited Employment Causes Suspension or Cancelation of Coverage. If you are a covered Retiree, your coverage under the Plan will be suspended for any month that your benefit under the Pension Plan is suspended (or would have been suspended, if your Pension Plan benefit has not yet commenced or you worked under a Collective Bargaining Agreement that does not require contributions to the Pension Plan) because you engage in what is (or would be, if your Pension Plan benefit has not yet commenced) prohibited employment by returning to work in the electrical industry. Whether employment is prohibited employment shall be determined by the Board by applying the standards set forth in the Pension Plan, and the determination is subject to all of the procedural rules of the Pension Plan. If you return to work in prohibited employment for a non-contributing employer as a Retiree, your coverage under the Plan will be terminated permanently, and you will forfeit all future coverage under the Plan based on your past service (including as a Regular Retiree). You will also be obligated to reimburse the Plan for any benefits paid on your or your family's behalf during any period of such prohibited employment. Refer to the Pension Plan's summary plan description for further information about prohibited employment, or contact the Plan Office for further information.
- Returning to Covered Employment May Reestablish Active Coverage
- Suspended Pension Plan Benefits. If you are a covered Retiree who returns to Covered Employment and reestablishes eligibility under Section 3.3, then you will cease participation as a Retiree and re-commence participation as an Active Employee.
- Early Retiree Participation Required. If you have not earned sufficient service to qualify for future participation under Section 4.1(a)(1), as a Regular Retiree (assuming a retirement date of age 62) and you become eligible for Active Coverage based on your work hours, you will not be required to continue to pay Early Retiree Monthly Coverage Payments under Section 4.4 unless you subsequently retire prior to age 62. In that event, you will be required to make continuous Early Retiree Monthly Coverage Payments when Active Coverage ends in order to qualify for Regular Retiree Coverage.
- Early Retiree Participation Not Required if Regular Retiree Sufficient. If you have earned sufficient service to qualify for future participation under Section 4.1(a)(1) as a Regular Retiree (assuming a retirement date of age 62), you are not required to make continuous Early Retiree Monthly Coverage Payments when Active Coverage ends in order to participate as a Regular Retiree when you attain age 62. However, failure to do so will waive any rights to continue coverage as an Early Retiree.
- Non-Suspended Pension Plan Benefits. If you are a covered Retiree who returns to Covered Employment and your Pension Plan benefits are not suspended because you work fewer than 40 hours per month, there will be no change to your coverage as a Retiree, nor will there be a reinstatement of an Hour Bank for Active Coverage.
- Suspended Pension Plan Benefits. If you are a covered Retiree who returns to Covered Employment and reestablishes eligibility under Section 3.3, then you will cease participation as a Retiree and re-commence participation as an Active Employee.