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continuing eligibility (reduced Hours/Disability)

If you are ever in danger of losing your eligibility due to a period of unemployment or a disability, you can continue your coverage by making self-payment contributions to the Fund and/or by electing COBRA Continuation Coverage. If you elect to make self-payment contributions to the Fund, any excess hours you have accumulated in an Hour Bank will automatically be used first to continue your eligibility. Refer to the Health and Welfare Summary Plan Description (SPD) booklet for more information about COBRA Continuation Coverage.

During a Period of Unemployment

After any excess hours that you have accumulated in an Hour Bank have been exhausted, you can begin making self-payments to continue your coverage. Your self-payment amount will be equal to 200 hours times the hourly rate in effect for your most recent Contributing Employer. The 200 hours self-payment requirement will be reduced by any hours you worked in the most recent Contribution Quarter.

You can continue your eligibility by means of self-payments for no more than four consecutive Benefit Quarters if you are totally unemployed and paying for the full 200 hours. There is no lifetime limit on the number of self-payments you may make to supplement actual hours worked (although self-payments are limited to four Benefit Quarters at a time). Your self-payments must be received at the Fund Office within 10 days of the date you receive a termination notice.

Note: The Hour Bank provision does not apply for individuals who have a management role in the operations of a Contributing Employer.

During a Period of Disability

If, while you are eligible under this Plan, you are receiving a Weekly Accident and Sickness benefit or Workers’ Compensation benefits, you can continue your eligibility by making self-payments to the Fund. Once any excess hours that you have accumulated in an Hour Bank are depleted, you may then continue coverage by making self-payment contributions for up to 10 consecutive Benefit Quarters. After you have made self-payment contributions for 8 months, you may either continue to make self-payments for two additional months or elect to continue your coverage through COBRA Continuation Coverage.