Initial Eligibility

To initially establish eligibility you need 275 hours of covered work within a three-month period. You must have at least one hour of work in the first of the three months. You must enroll with the Trust Office before a claim can be processed.

Dependent Eligibility

The following family members become eligible at the same time you become eligible

• A lawful spouse, unless legally separated.

• A domestic partner subject to satisfaction of certain enrollment and tax prepayment requirements.

• Unmarried children who are under age 19 and are your dependents, including:

  • Natural children and legally adopted children.
  • A child placed with you for adoption before the adoption is finalized.
  • Stepchildren who live with you.
  • Legally placed children, meaning any child dependent by virtue of a court order specifying that you have legal custody.
  • Natural children born out of wedlock.
    
    

Lag Month

Because the Trust Office needs to process the contributions sent in by your employer, there is a lag month between the month your accumulated hours reach 275 and the month your eligibility begins. So, if you reach 275 hours for initial eligibility in April, then your coverage will begin on June 1st. May is the lag month.

Continuing Eligibility

After you establish initial eligibility, there are two ways to maintain coverage. You must continue to work a minimum of 275 hours in covered employment for which employer contributions were received in each three-month period, or, if you work a minimum of 1,250 hours in a 12-month period, you are eligible for a three-month period, beginning with the 14th month.

Losing Coverage

Your coverage will end when you no longer meet either of the rules shown above. Other, less common, reasons for termination of eligibility can be found in the SPD. When you lose coverage you may be able to self-pay for coverage under COBRA for a limited time. If you are temporarily unemployed or disabled, other self-pay options may be available.