F. DISABILITY BENEFIT -- AMOUNT PAYABLE; WAITING PERIOD
The Disability Benefit consists of a monthly income as described in the following paragraphs. Benefits will commence on the first day following your completion of the Waiting Period (see paragraph 5, below) with the first Disability Benefit check being paid at the end of the month in which the Waiting Period is satisfied. The continuance of Disability Benefits is subject to satisfaction of the above requirements, including periodic satisfaction of continued total disability by way of Physician examinations.
1. The First 12 Months of Benefits.
Four hundred dollars ($400) per month
without offset from any other source of income. Payments are subject to FICA taxes.
2. Extension of Benefits.
If you are still disabled at the conclusion of the initial 12
months of benefits, you may qualify for an extension of the original 12-month benefit period. This extension can only be granted by having your Physician send a completed Application For Extended Long Term Disability Benefits form to the Plan Office. This extension of benefits cannot exceed 6 months and is generally granted when, at the conclusion of the initial 12-month benefit period:
- your Physician believes you will be able to return to work within 6
months, or
- you are waiting for determination from the Social Security Administration
concerning a disability award application, or
- it is not clear how much longer your disability will last. For example, your Physician may not be able to determine the expected duration of the disability until sufficient time has passed after surgery to analyze the success of the operation. Under such circumstances, an extension may be granted to allow sufficient time (up to 6 months) to determine if you can return to work.
3. After 12 Months of Benefits (The 13th month and thereafter).
Four hundred
dollars ($400) per month only if you have been awarded or are receiving disability benefits under a Social Security Administration disability award.
Commencing with the 13th month, and as long as you are totally disabled, the $400 per month benefit will not be reduced, regardless of any other income benefit you may be receiving at the time, except as provided in the Termination of Benefits (VI.F) and definition of “Total Disability”.
4. Pension Benefits-Contribution to Pension Plan.
Thirty-one dollars and twenty-
five cents ($31.25) per month (or the appropriate prorated amount in the case of disability periods of less than one month) shall be paid to the Northern California Electrical Workers Pension Plan. If and when you begin drawing a pension from a participating Local Union, the $31.25 pension benefit will be terminated.
5. Waiting Period.
You must be continuously totally disabled for a period of 30
days before benefits are payable. Total disability will not be deemed to have commenced more than 3 days prior to the first visit of (or to) a licensed Physician for diagnosis or treatment of the disabling condition. Total disability will not be deemed to have commenced until after you have stopped working as a result of the disabling condition.
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