This section explains how you can request information regarding your coverage under the Plan. It is important to periodically check on your status under the Plan. There are several different statements the Trust can provide, depending on what type of information you need. Each of these statements are explained in this chapter.
Important Topics
Requesting Benefit Information
Personal Interview
About Your Personal Benefit Statement
Other Benefit Statements
Requesting Benefit Information
Your Plan offers a number of ways to check on your Plan coverage, vesting status, recent coverage and earned benefits. It’s never too soon to find out what your Plan offers and to get accurate information about your benefits.
Below is a summary of the different types of statements you can request.
Types of Statements
Personal Benefit Statement
When to Request:
- Automatically provided annually to active participants.
- Available via the Plan's website upon registration
What is Provided:
- Provides a complete listing of all the covered hours paid on your behalf in the previous year.
- Reports your vesting status.
- Estimates your normal retirement benefit (age 65)—based on your covered employment through December 31 of the previous year.
Work History Statement
When to Request:
- At least two years before you retire.
- Last year active in the Plan
What is Provided:
- Provides a complete listing of all the covered hours paid on your behalf.
- Reports your vesting status, including any interruptions of service or forfeitures.
- Provides information about your eligibility for the Rule of 84 and PEER.
Accrued Benefit Statement
When to Request:
- At least two years before you retire.
- Last year active in Plan.
What is Provided:
- Reports your vesting status, including any interruptions of service or forfeitures.
- Provides information about your eligibility for PEER and Rule of 84.
- Estimates your normal retirement benefit (age 65)—based on your covered employment to date.
Estimate of Benefits
When to Request:
- Approximately five years before you retire or when you turn age 50.
- Twelve months before your anticipated pension effective date.
What is Provided:
- Provides information about your eligibility for PEER and Rule of 84.
- Estimates benefit amounts under each available payment option, based on your age and your spouse’s age (if married) for the pension effective date you request.
Take the time to check the information on your Personal Benefit Statement or any of the other types of statements available from the Plan. Keep your statements with past copies in a safe place. Contact your Administrative Office if you have questions.
Watch online video tutorials explaining the information provided on a Work History Statement or Estimate of Benefits.
Interview With Plan Representative
You can also schedule a personal interview with a Plan representative to discuss your Plan coverage and benefits. If you are ready to apply for benefits, a Plan representative can walk you through the process.
Plan representatives are available at your Administrative Office. Also, there are Plan representatives who visit certain Local Unions for the purpose of meeting with participants to answer their questions. There are specific schedules for these visits. Contact your Administrative Office and they can advise you of the closest location for meeting with a Plan representative and assist you with scheduling an appointment.
Participants who are meeting with a Plan representative to apply for benefits are encouraged to bring their spouse so they will also understand the benefits available under the Plan.
About Your Personal Benefit Statement
Your Personal Benefit Statement is mailed to you in June if you worked at least 250 covered hours in the previous calendar year and have a valid address on file. Personal Benefit Statements for the three most recent years can also be viewed on the Trust’s website upon registration. The statement shows the employer contributions paid in the previous calendar year based on your collective bargaining agreement.
Be sure your Administrative Office has your current mailing address so you will receive your Personal Benefit Statement.
Click here to see a sample Personal Benefit Statement.
Your Personal Benefit Statement only shows the hours for which pension contributions were paid. Your collective bargaining agreement may not require your employer to contribute on overtime hours. Or, it may have a monthly or yearly maximum on the number of hours that require pension contributions.
Other Benefit Statements
The Work History Statement, Accrued Benefit Statement, and Estimate of Benefits are available by contacting your Administrative Office. These statements are available free of charge. You may request a statement once every 12 months. Allow four to six weeks for your Administrative Office to provide the information.
Remember that these statements are not applications for benefits. Your details will be verified when you apply for benefits. See Applying for Retirement Benefits for information on how to apply for retirement benefits and choose your pension effective date. See How Retirement Benefits are Paid to find out how benefits are paid and how to choose your payment options.
All Plan statements are based on data you have provided and information from the Pension Trust’s records. If you notice incorrect or missing details, contact your Administrative Office immediately.