Health and Welfare Summary Plan Description
6.8 Military Service
- General Rules for Continued Coverage. If you are an Active Employee and called to active military service in the Uniformed Services of the United States ("Military Service"), you are entitled to continue coverage in the Plan for up to 24 months if you qualify for such coverage under the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act of 1994 ("USERRA"). The "Uniformed Services" means the Armed Forces, the Army National Guard and the Air National Guard when engaged in active duty for training, inactive duty training or full-time National Guard duty, the commissioned corps of the Public Health Service, and any other category of persons designated by the President of the United States of America in time of war or emergency. You must give prior notice (oral or in writing) to your Employer that your absence will be due to participation in a Uniformed Service. We request that you also notify the dispatch office of Local 6 and the Plan Office so that the Plan is aware that your coverage should be maintained.
- Purchase of Coverage. If you are absent from Covered Employment to perform Military Service for less than 31 days, you may continue your coverage under the Plan without charge. If you are absent from Covered Employment to perform Military Service for more than 30 days, you may elect to purchase coverage for up to 24 months (the first month of which is at no charge to you) for a Monthly Coverage Payment equal to the applicable monthly COBRA premium. Although USERRA coverage described in this section is not COBRA Coverage, your absence for military service will also trigger election rights under COBRA, and you may elect continued coverage under whichever of the two options provide you the most favorable benefit.
- Hour Bank Frozen if Requested. Your Hour Bank will be frozen effective with the first of the month following the month that Plan coverage is provided from your Hour Bank before entering Military Service. For example, if you last worked in Covered Employment, and you entered Military Service, in January, your January hours will be credited to your Hour Bank on March 1 and your account will then be frozen on that date. Your April coverage will be provided to you without charge to your Hour Bank. If you wish to continue coverage after April for up to the additional 23 months, you may either (i) pay the Monthly Coverage Payment described in subsection (b) to the Plan Office or (ii) elect to apply hours in your Hour Bank balance to continue coverage as long as your Hour Bank will allow. When you return to Covered Employment (with proper notice and documentation), you may recommence coverage subject to your Hour Bank balance.