Article 4: Eligibility and General Plan Provisions >>

4.9 Participation Agreement

The following describes the conditions by which an Employee may be granted initial eligibility under the terms of certain Participation Agreements.

An eligible Employee gaining eligibility under certain Participation Agreements may be granted an initial Hours Bank Reserve equivalent to four (4) months of coverage. In order to offset this initial Hours Bank Reserve, an equivalent amount of hours of the first Hours Worked per month in excess of the hours required for monthly eligibility will not be credited to the eligible Employee’s Hours Bank Reserve. If the initial eligibility is granted after the close of the first workweek of a particular month the initial Hours Bank Reserve granted shall be equivalent to five (5) months of coverage and an equivalent amount of the first Hours Worked per month in excess of the hours required for monthly eligibility will not be credited to the eligible Employee’s Hours Bank Reserve in order to off-set the initial hour bank granted.

In the event an eligible Employee granted an initial Hours Bank Reserve terminates employment, whether voluntary or involuntary, prior to working at least the number of hours credited pursuant to this section, all benefits of that Employee and their Dependents under this Plan shall terminate as of the first day of the month following the month in which the employment terminated.

An Employee granted an initial Hours Bank Reserve pursuant to this section and their Employer, must give prompt written notice of termination of employment to the Administrative Office, pursuant to the Participation Agreement. Employees and their Dependents losing eligibility due to the termination of their employment prior to working the number of hours credited, shall be offered non- coverage and conversion rights to the extent required by applicable law.