Your Rights Under The Employee Retirement Income Security Act Of 1974

As a participant in the Fund, you're entitled to certain rights and protections under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA). ERISA provides that all plan participants are entitled to the following:

Receive information about your plan and benefits

• Examine, without charge, at the Plan Administrator's office and at other specified locations, such as worksites and union halls, all documents governing the Fund, including insurance contracts and collective bargaining agreements, and a copy of the latest annual report (Form 5500 Series) filed by the Fund with the U.S. Department of Labor and available at the Public Disclosure Room of the Employee Benefits Security Administration;
• Obtain, upon written request to the Plan Administrator, copies of documents governing the operation of the plan, including insurance contracts and collective bargaining agreements, and copies of the latest annual report (Form 5500 Series) and updated summary plan description. The Plan Administrator may make a reasonable charge for the copies; and
• Receive a summary of the Fund's annual financial report. The Plan Administrator is required by law to furnish each participant with a copy of this summary annual report;

Continue group health plan coverage

• Continue health care coverage for yourself, spouse or dependent children if there is a loss of coverage under the Fund as the result of a qualifying event. You or your dependents may have to pay for such coverage. Review this summary plan description and the documents governing the Fund on the rules governing your COBRA continuation coverage rights; and
• Experience a reduction or elimination of exclusionary periods of coverage for preexisting conditions under your group health plan if you have creditable coverage from another plan. You should be provided a certificate of creditable coverage, free of charge, from your group health plan or health insurance issuer when you lose coverage under the plan, when you become entitled to elect COBRA continuation coverage, when your COBRA continuation coverage ends, if you request it before losing coverage, or if you request it up to 24 months after losing coverage. Without evidence of creditable coverage, you may be subject to a preexisting condition exclusion for 12 months (18 months for late enrollees) after your enrollment date in your coverage.

Sub-Topics:
Prudent Actions By Plan Fiduciaries
Enforcement Of Your Rights
Assistance With Your Questions