Open Enrollment for Retiree Plan Participants
Open Enrollment is being held during the month of July for coverage effective August 1, 2010. Here are the five documents that comprise your Open Enrollment Package:
Open Enrollment for Active/Early Retiree Plan Participants
Open Enrollment is being held during the month of July for coverage effective August 1, 2010. Here are the three documents that comprise your Open Enrollment Package:
Wage and Fringe Benefit Amounts for New Contract
Here is a summary of the recent contract negotiations
settlement relating to the wage fringe package for the period June 1, 2010
through May 31, 2014. Click here to view.
Loan Policy Revisions Effective July 2010
As as response to the requests of participants in the SFEW Retirement Savings Plan, the Board of Trustees has approved changes to the Plan’s Loan Policy. The revised Loan Policy is attached, and is effective July 1, 2010.
Please download and review this important announcement.
Open Enrollment and Plan Changes Announcement
The 2010 Open Enrollment Period will be held in July, 2010, with Plan enrollment changes taking effect August 1, 2010. The attached notice announces details of the open enrollment and contains a number of upcoming plan changes that affect your benefits under the Health & Welfare Trust.
Please download and review this important announcement.
Investment Changes to the SFEW Retirement Savings Plan
The Board of Trustees regularly reviews the investment options made available through the San
Francisco Electrical Workers Retirement Savings Plan to make sure they continue to help you meet your
retirement objectives. As a result of this review, several changes are being made to the Plan's
investment program. Please consult the full notice for further details.
2009 Annual Funding Notice - NCEW Pension Plan
The Annual Funding Notice includes important funding information about your pension plan for the plan year beginning January 1, 2009 and ending December 31, 2009. The Plan is required to distribute this Notice in accordance with the Pension Protection Act of 2006. Click here to view the notice.
2010 Scholarship Information/Application
This year the IBEW Local 6/SFECA Labor Management Cooperation Committee will award a total of twenty educational grants to sons and daughters of contributors to EISB, Inc., their office staff, and IBEW Local 6 members who are working for contributing employers to EISB Inc. (including sons and daughters of deceased members who were working for contributing employers at the time of their death). Click here to view the complete form.
Pension Plan Overview - April 8, 2010
To view a summary of the current status of the NCEW Pension Plan, click here.
Participant Investment Direction Information
Whether you will have adequate savings at retirement will depend in significant part on how
much you choose to save and how you invest your savings. This document provides you
information that will help you compare the investment options available to you under the
SFEW Retirement Savings Plan. If you are interested in self-direction, refer to "Your Guide To Getting Started."
COBRA Continuation Coverage – Further Extension of Premium Assistance (Updated March 2010)
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA), as amended on March 2, 2010 by the Temporary Extension Act of 2010, provides for premium reductions for health benefits under the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985, commonly called COBRA. Eligible individuals pay only 35 percent of their COBRA premiums and the remaining 65 percent is paid by the Welfare Plan and reimbursed to the coverage provider through a tax credit.
To view the notice,
click here.
NCEW Pension Trust Investment Performance Report Through December 31, 2009
Summary of investment performance for the Northern California Electrical Workers Pension Trust through 12/31/2009. To view the report, click here.
Your Member Assistance Program
Life can be a scramble. You juggle work and personal responsibilities, trying to make ends meet, and unexpected problems always seem to pop up. Your Member Assistance Program (MAP) can help. For more details, please see the full notice.
Benefit Modifications to Mental Health/Chemical Dependency Coverage
Effective February 1, 2010, your Chemical Dependency benefits (which are available to Kaiser members through both PacifiCare Behavioral Health and Kaiser) and Mental Health benefits (which are provided only through Kaiser) have been changed to comply with the Federal Mental Health Parity Act. If you are a Kaiser participant, click here to read the full notice on the Mental Health Parity Act. You can also view benefit comparisons for treatment at Kaiser facilities and treatment outside of Kaiser through the PBH Plan. If you are a Self-Funded PPO participant, a separate full notice on the Mental Health Parity Act and benefit comparison are available for viewing.
Michelle's Law Guarantees Continued Coverage of Dependent Students on Medically Necessary Leave of Absence
Effective February 1, 2010, the Plan has been amended to allow for continued coverage for a
dependent child whose eligibility under the Plan is based on full-time attendance at an accredited
trade school, college or university but who loses full-time student status due to a medically
necessary leave of absence or change in enrollment. In order to receive continued coverage, the
following requirements must be met. For more details, please consult the full notice.
Application for Extension of Amortization Period
In response to last year's economic slowdown, the Trustees are continuing to look for ways to improve the condition of the Pension Plan without adversely affecting Plan Participants. Under the law, pension plans that are facing an endangered certification may extend the amortization period for certain liabilities by five years, allowing more time for greater investment earnings resulting from an economic recovery. At the recommendation of the Plan’s actuary, the Trustees have approved a five year extension. For more details, please consult the letter to Plan Participants and the Notice of Application.
Notice to All Active Plan Participants Regarding Changes to the Health & Welfare Plan
Effective for October 2009 work hours (December 2009 coverage), the Plan has been amended
to allow for an hour bank advance of up to 120 hours for active members to prevent loss of
coverage. Hours may be advanced from future hours worked due to an involuntary reduction of
hours resulting from implementation of a 28-hour work week. For more details, please consult the full notice; to view the application, click here.
Loan Provision - San Francisco Electrical Workers Retirement Savings Plan
The San Francisco Electrical Workers Retirement Savings Plan has been amended
to allow a loan to any Participant or Beneficiary in the Plan on or after December 1,
2009. Loans are initiated through Fidelity's website or by phone at 1-866-84-UNION. For more details, please consult the full notice and the complete text of the loan policy.
New Monthly Rates for Retiree Health Coverage Effective January 1st, 2010
The revised co-payment rates for retirees will be put into effect as of January 1st, 2010. Click here for the full notice and rates tables.
