Pension Plan Summary Plan Description
6.2 General Vesting Rules
Until you are vested, you are entitled to no benefits under the Plan, and your accumulated Years of Credited Service and Years of Pension Credit (each discussed below) are subject to cancelation if you experience a Permanent Break-in-Service (see Section 6.5). When you vest, your Accrued Benefit cannot be canceled if you leave employment, and you will become entitled to a Regular Pension. Vesting does not necessarily guarantee you a right to an Early Pension or a Disability Pension, because additional rules apply to those types of pensions. Until you vest, your accumulated Years of Pension Credit and Credited Service are subject to cancelation if you leave Covered Employment and experience a Permanent Break-in-Service.
As of January 1, 1998, you are vested if (i) you have earned five Years of Credited Service, or five Years of Pension Credit (see Section 5.1), that has not been canceled because of a Permanent Break-in-Service and (ii) you have earned at least one hour of Covered Employment after December 31, 1997. You will also become vested if you attain Normal Retirement Age before incurring a Permanent Break-in-Service.
A "Year of Credited Service" is earned for each calendar year in which you earn at least 1,000 hours of Covered Employment, which is a lower hour requirement than the 1,500 that is required for a Year of Pension Credit. However, partial Years of Credited Service are not awarded if fewer than 1,000 hours of Covered Employment is earned in a calendar year.
As vesting rules have changed over the years, you may have failed to vest, or incurred a Permanent Break-in-Service, under a rule that no longer applies. If your Credited Service or Pension Credit was canceled under a previously-effective rule, a later change to the rules will not reinstate your service.