Disability Retirement

Eligibility and Retirement Effective Date

To be eligible for disability retirement you must be:

• Under age 65.
• Meet the definition of retired.
• Vested under the ten-year vesting rule (please see Ten-Year Vesting).
• Have at least 750 covered hours in this plan or in combination with a reciprocal plan sometime during the three calendar years immediately preceding the date of your disability.
• Totally and permanently disabled by accidental bodily injury or illness as defined by this plan (please see the definition of totally and permanently disabled). Your injury or illness cannot be the result of an intentional self-inflicted injury or the habitual use of drugs or alcohol.
• Your injury or disease must render you incapable of performing any and every duty pertinent to your occupation as a carpenter. After receiving benefits for 24 months, you must be incapable of working in any substantial gainful employment as determined by the Board of Trustees in order to continue receiving disability benefits. Periodic proof of continued disability is also required.

With disability retirement, your retirement effective date is the later of the first of the month following a six-month waiting period or the first of the month following receipt of your Application For Retirement Benefits. You do not receive an income before the first day of the seventh month of your disability. The six-month delay is known as the “disability waiting period” and may be waived by the Board of Trustees under certain non-discriminatory circumstances. Your application must be accompanied by the Attending Physician’s Statement.

For additional information about disability retirement eligibility, please see Article 4.3 and Article 7.

Monthly Benefit

The amount available at disability retirement is your total monthly benefit less the appropriate reduction for disability retirement. Disability retirement reduction factors are listed in Table 8. Your disability benefit is a single life benefit with guaranteed monthly payments for five years (60 payments). When you reach age 65, your monthly benefit is recalculated to reflect what would have been your total monthly benefit if you had not taken disability retirement. Normal retirement payment options are available at that time and no further proof of disability is required. The  example below illustrates how to calculate a disability retirement income.

If you die before age 65, your surviving spouse receives any of the outstanding guaranteed monthly payments. If you die between the ages of 55 and 65 and all guaranteed monthly payments have been made, your spouse receives the survivor’s portion of a 50% joint and survivor benefit beginning the month following your death (please see Qualified Spouse’s Benefit). If you die before age 55 and all guaranteed monthly payments have been made, your spouse receives the survivor’s portion of a 50% joint and survivor benefit beginning the month you would have attained age 55 had you lived. This benefit is payable for your spouse’s lifetime.

For additional information about the monthly benefit available under disability retirement, please see Article 6.3.