19. Is my pension affected if I travel?

If you leave the jurisdiction of your Local Union but continue to work within the six-county jurisdiction of the Southern California IBEW-NECA Pension Plan (Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, Inyo and Mono), you do not need to complete pension reciprocity papers, as these areas are part of the same pension plan.

Each area has its own Health Plan, so you must complete a Health Reciprocity Authorization if you want health contributions sent back to your home Health Fund.

When you travel outside the six-county jurisdiction of this Plan, you may elect to send your pension contributions back to this Fund, as long as you are already a Participant in this Plan.

Pension contributions must be transferred to the same type of fund. Defined Benefit contributions will be transferred to this Plan. Defined Contribution funds will be transferred to the Southern California IBEW-NECA Defined Contribution Plan unless:

1. You are a member of Local 441 and have designated the Orange County Defined Contribution Trust as your Home Fund for purposes of Defined Contribution benefits; or
2. You are a member of Local 440 or 477 and have designated the Inland Empire NECA-IBEW Pension Trust Fund as your Home Fund for purposes of Defined Contribution benefits.

IMPORTANT: Some areas, such as Las Vegas and Ventura, may have provisions in their collective bargaining agreements that require additional contributions to their local Pension Plans for overtime hours. If those hours and contributions are transferred to this Plan you will be credited only with the hours worked, although all money received will be applied to your Defined Benefit and/or your Defined Contribution account.

For example:

Bob Jones works 160 "clock" hours in Las Vegas, which includes 120 straight-time hours and 40 double-time hours. The Employer may pay the equivalent of 200 pension hours to the Las Vegas Pension Fund. When the hours and contributions are received here, you will be credited with 160 hours worked for the Defined Benefit Plan.

Contact Us Before You Stop Contributions

If you are considering stopping the transfer of contributions to this Plan for any reason, such as moving your ticket to another Local Union, it is strongly recommended that you first contact the Administrative Office. A pension representative can help you determine what effect stopping contributions will have on your benefits.

If you stop contributions before you are vested, you may never qualify for a benefit from this Plan. If you stop contributions and a Grace Period occurs, you may suffer a reduction of up to 43.2% of your accrued benefit if you take and otherwise qualify for an unreduced Early Retirement Benefit at age 56.

Incoming Reciprocity Contributions

IMPORTANT: For incoming reciprocity contributions received by the Plan for the following benefits accrued on and after October 28, 2009 (please refer to Article 17 of the Plan Document for more information):

1. Benefits will be accrued at a rate of 1.00% of contributions made on the Participant's behalf;
2. The Disability Benefit is eliminated for Participants who are not in pay status as of October 28, 2009;
3. The Early Retirement Benefit for Participants retiring prior to age 55 is actuarially reduced and, after March 31, 2017, the Early Retirement Benefit for Participants retiring prior to age 65 is actuarially reduced;
4. The 60-month guarantee is eliminated;
5. The Pre-Retirement Death Benefit 120-month guarantee is eliminated; and
6. The forms of benefit payment are:
   1. A single life annuity with no guarantee period;
   2. A Joint and 50% Survivor Pension; and
   3. A Joint and 75% Survivor Pension.