Welcome, and thank you for visiting our site! I will be happy to answer any questions that you may have about your Pension Plan or Health Fund. You can see some answers to questions that are frequently asked in the links below. Also, past and current issues of the "Let's Talk" newsletter can be found on our site in the Newsletter/Announcements area, showing more Dear Dorothy answers. If you still have a question that needs answering, just send me a message at deardorothy@wgaplans.org and I will respond to your question. If you really stump me, your question may also appear anonymously in the next "Let's Talk" newsletter!

Yours truly,
Dorothy

Dorothy answers pension questions in the Pension FAQs section, health questions in the Health FAQs section, and miscellaneous questions in the Let's Talk Newsletters.

Dear Dorothy:
I just got a deal. They twisted my arm and yes, I am coming out of retirement. Can I work and still get my monthly pension benefit from the Pension Plan?
- Suspicious in the Summerset

Dear Suspicious:
Good news! You can work and still get your pension. But wait, there is a catch-if you retired before turning age 65, you need to take a short breather. You cannot perform any work covered by the Pension Plan for the first calendar month of retirement.

Dear Dorothy:
Is my family covered under the Health Fund, or just me?
- Family Guy in Fresno

Dear Family Guy: When you receive health care coverage, this includes your spouse and children, as long as the Administrative office receives your dependent premium of $150.00 (quarterly paid in advance premium).

Dear Dorothy:
Okay, I am at least 52 (but not telling how old I really am) and vested. What are some of the available retirement dates?
- Young at Heart in Yuba City

Dear Young at Heart:
Retirement commencement date is available on the first of every month in a year. For example, if you want to retire on May 1, 2006, call or write the Administrative Office before March 1, 2006 for an application for retirement.

Dear Dorothy:
My daughter is covered as a dependent under the Health Fund. At what age does she stop having coverage under the Fund?
-Concerned in Cincinnati

Dear Concerned:
When your daughter reaches age 19, you will be required to provide evidence of full-time student status if you want your daughter to continue health coverage under the Health Fund. Coverage for her will be continued through age 23 if she remains a full-time student (only if your earned eligibility continues). However, if she is not a full-time student (or you do not submit evidence that she is a full-time student), then her coverage would end.

Dear Dorothy:
I visit the Administrative Office regularly, and I used to just walk to the area where I needed to speak with someone. Now, I can't do that, and I was told that I needed to be escorted! Why?
- Escorted in Elmira

Dear Escorted:
That's right, any visitors to the Administrative Office need to be escorted. The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 ("HIPAA") protects each Participant's protected health information. To help maintain the protection of this information under HIPAA, no visitors to the Office can be unsupervised within the Office. Thus, any visitor has to be escorted through the Office. Please keep that in mind when you visit and check in with the Security Desk on the first floor and go to the Receptionist on the second floor to obtain your escort. Thanks for your cooperation!

Dear Dorothy:
I finally think I've earned enough to become eligible for health coverage under the Health Fund. But now, there is a three-month waiting period between my earnings and the benefit periods. Why?
-Waiting in Westchester

Dear Waiting:
I know it's not fun to wait, but hang in there! The three-month waiting period is needed for Employers to submit reports of earnings and for the Administrative Office to process these reports so we can be sure we have all of your earnings.