This website explains the benefits and eligibility rules under the Western Conference of Teamsters Pension Plan. Depending on your situation, not all of the information on this website may apply to you.
The Welcome page has hot buttons for participants, retirees, beneficiaries, local unions and employers. You can always go to the Welcome page by clicking the green Plan logo.
In general, the benefits described on this website are available only to Plan participants who retire with a pension effective date on or after December 31, 2007 or to the beneficiaries of those who are not yet retired but die after that date (unless noted otherwise). This website also contains information of special interest to Plan retirees and the families and beneficiaries of deceased participants.
Select the situation below that applies to you:
Participants
Working Participants
Vested Former Participants
Retirees
Retired Participants Receiving Benefits
Beneficiaries
Beneficiaries Receiving Benefits
Alternate Payees
Those Eligible for Benefits Under a Qualified Domestic Relations Order
Local Unions
Bargaining Party Info
Benefits for Your Members
Employers
Bargaining Party Info
Benefits for Your Employees
Working Participants
If you currently work in covered employment under the Plan, or recently left covered employment, almost every part of this website applies to you. What matters to you most right now depends on where you are in your working career—whether just starting out, in mid-career or approaching retirement.
Browse through the Plan Summary to find the information that affects you now—or that may apply to you later as you near retirement. If you recently began work as a Teamster, read the first few sections of the Plan Summary carefully.
If you recently left covered employment, these topics help you to find out if you are vested and how you can lose Plan benefits. If you are near retirement, review Recent Coverage in the Plan Summary and the sections that follow. Applying for Retirement Benefits explains how to apply for benefits. To learn about Plan benefits for your family and other beneficiaries in the event of your death, see Death & Survivor Benefits.
Vested Former Participants
If you are no longer working in covered employment but are vested and have the right to receive Plan benefits when you reach retirement age, you’ll want to review Recent Coverage in the Plan Summary.
You need to find out if you are in danger of losing recent coverage and the benefits available to you with and without recent coverage.
The rest of the Plan Summary describes the types of retirement the Plan offers. If you are near retirement, Applying for Retirement Benefits explains how to apply for benefits. To learn about Plan benefits for your family and other beneficiaries in the event of your death, see Death & Survivor Benefits.
Retired Participants Receiving Benefits
If you are a retiree and want specific information about your Plan benefits, please contact your Administrative Office for details. Plan representatives can also explain how any Plan changes adopted after your retirement may apply to you. For other information of special interest to Plan retirees, click here.
Thinking about Returning to Work? If you are a retiree under age 65, you should pay special attention to the Working After You Retire section in the Plan Summary. It explains the Plan’s suspension of benefit rules that apply if you return to work in covered or non-covered suspendible employment. Click here for information about the Plan's suspension of benefit rule.
Note: The benefits described on this website are available only to Plan participants who retire with a pension effective date on or after January 1, 2008 or to the beneficiaries of those who are not yet retired but die on or after that date (unless noted otherwise).
In general, if you retired before 2008, benefits for you and your Plan beneficiaries are described in earlier Plan summaries. If you are not sure what information applies to you, contact your Administrative Office.
Beneficiaries Receiving Benefits
If you are a family member or beneficiary of a Plan participant or retiree and want specific information about any Plan benefits that may be payable after the death of the participant or retiree, please contact any Administrative Office for details. Plan representatives can also explain how any Plan changes adopted after the participant's death or retirement may apply to you. For other information of special interest to the families and beneficiaries of deceased Plan participants and retirees, click here.
Note: The death and survivor benefits described on this website are available only to the family and beneficiaries of Plan participants who retire with a pension effective date on or after January 1, 2008 or to the family and beneficiaries of those who are not yet retired but die on or after that date (unless noted otherwise).
In general, if the participant died or retired before 2008, your benefits as a family member or beneficiary of that participant are described in earlier Plan summaries.
Alternate Payees Under a Qualified Domestic Relations Order
If you are an alternate payee under a Qualified Domestic Relations Order (QDRO) with respect to a Plan participant or retiree, certain information on this website may apply to you.
You are an alternate payee if you are the spouse, former spouse or other dependent of a Plan participant and are receiving now—or may receive in the future—a portion of the participant’s Plan benefits under a QDRO.
If you are already receiving Plan benefits under a QDRO and have questions, contact your Administrative Office.
If you are not yet receiving Plan benefits, click here to see the steps you must take to receive your benefits once they are payable under the terms of your QDRO.
If you have questions about your right to receive Plan benefits as an alternate payee, contact your Administrative Office.
@