Employer Bulletin: Pension Plan Mailings and Employers’ Role

June 2025

TO: Participating Employers

FROM: Office of the Administrative Manager

RE: Pension Plan Mailings and Employers’ Role

Throughout the year, the Pension Trust mails various documents and requests for participant information to Employers, Local Unions, and Employees. Many of these mailings are required by law and in certain instances Employers and Unions are asked to assist the Trust in distributing these materials. We deeply appreciate your efforts in keeping employees informed of Trust matters.

• Every 5 years, approximately in November, the Trust’s Summary Plan Description (SPD) must be sent to all employers, local unions, participants, and retirees. The SPD provides general Plan information, participation and vesting, retirement and death benefit eligibility as well as plan options available and how to apply for benefits including work after retirement.
• Each April, the Trust’s Annual Funding Notice (AFN) must be distributed to all participating employers, participants, and retirees. The AFN includes important information about the Plan, general information about benefit payments guaranteed by the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC), a federal insurance agency, the Plan’s funding status, Year- End Fair Market Value of Assets, participant information, funding and investment policies.
• Each year, the Plan Actuaries conduct a thorough actuarial analysis to determine the cost of future pension benefits. The Trust will issue a series of Actuarial Request reports to employees, employers and local unions representing a sample of their employees or former employees with incomplete data requesting additional information be provided such as gender, date of birth and date of spouse, if married, and any address changes. The information is strictly confidential and used exclusively for actuarial purposes. In February, selected employers will receive a report requesting the above information; In October, selected employees will receive a request for the above information; In December, local unions will receive a request for the above information.
• Each November, the Trust will issue pursuant to Section 104(d) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, employers and local unions will receive the Summary Plan Information report which provides key information regarding the Plan with instructions on how to obtain Plan documents.
• During May through July, every active participant who worked 250 hours in the prior year receives a customized Personal Benefit Statement showing contributions received for the previous year, the employee's accrued benefit to date, and projected retirement benefit. Although Employers are not directly involved in this mailing, your employees may have questions or concerns about data on the statement. These should be directed to your Administrative Office.
• Another distribution, which occurs semi-annually in January and July, is the New Hire Plan Mailing. An introductory memorandum along with the Trust's general Plan documents, is sent to each new Employee who has reached active status in the last six months. For Employees with incomplete information, Employers will be provided with a list of employees and asked to supply updated address information. Once received, those Employees will be included in the next mailing.
• Employers can minimize their responsibilities related to the above mailings by consistently including complete Employee address information with their monthly Pension contribution reports. An address should always be provided for each newly reported Employee. Additionally, whenever Employee information is submitted, it is essential that it be accompanied by the Employee’s Social Security Number to ensure accurate processing.

Mailings issued to Employees may be sent electronically, provided the Employee is registered on the Trust’s website. The Trust encourages all Employees to register online to help reduce administrative costs. For more information, please have your Employees contact their Area Administrative Office.