Enrollment

Eligibility - Plans I, I-A, III, III-A, III-NEWS, IV, V, V-A and
V-A-NEWS / Back

Plan Participation

To participate in this Plan, you must work for an Employer who is obligated under a written agreement to make contributions to the Plan on your behalf. If your Employer stops making contributions to the Plan, you will no longer be eligible for benefits. (See COBRA Coverage for information about continuation coverage if you lose eligibility.)

When Your Coverage Begins

Your coverage begins on one of the following dates:

1. New Participating Employer

If you work for an Employer when that Employer starts participating in TBT, your coverage begins on the first day of the month after a month in which you work the minimum hours required by your collective bargaining agreement and your Employer makes the required Plan contributions.

Example #1. Your Employer's new collective bargaining agreement provides for participation in the Teamsters Benefit Trust starting in January and requires your Employer to contribute for any employee who worked 80 hours or more in December.

Because you worked 80 hours or more in December, your coverage begins on January 1—as long as your Employer actually makes the required Plan contributions for January coverage and your enrollment forms have been received.

2. Current Participating Employer

If you start working after your Employer began participating in TBT, your coverage begins on the first day of the month after the third month in a six-month period in which you work the minimum hours required by your collective bargaining agreement and your Employer makes the required Plan contributions for all three months.

Example #2. You start working in April for an Employer who already participates in TBT. You work the hours required by your collective bargaining agreement in April, July and September. Your Employer must make the required Plan contributions on your behalf for each of those three months. Your coverage begins on October 1 as long as all required forms are received.
Note: If you work the minimum required hours three months in a row (in April, May and June), you become eligible for benefits on July 1 as long as the required contributions are paid and forms received.

Reminder
All required enrollment forms (including HMO applications) must be received by the TBT Plan Administration Office before coverage begins. (See the Enrollment Materials folder in Your Benefit Package.)

When Dependent Coverage Begins

Coverage for your dependents begins at the same time as yours.

An eligible newborn dependent is covered from birth, if notice is provided on time (see below).

You must notify the Plan Administration Office whenever you add or remove a dependent (including a newborn). Phone or write the Plan Administration Office as soon as possible, but no later than 30 days after the event, or coverage may be delayed—especially if you are covered under an HMO. All required forms will be mailed to you, including a new TBT Enrollment Form (and an HMO Change of Status Form if you are covered under an HMO). Evidence of dependent status may be required.

HMOs have specific requirements for adding or removing dependents. (See the HMO enrollment material for information about enrolling a dependent.)

Remember, all changes are made through the TBT Plan Administration Office, even if you have HMO coverage. (See Change in Family Status and Who is Eligible as a Dependent? on page 5 of the Guide To Your Benefits.)

How Coverage Continues

Once coverage begins, you continue to be eligible for benefits as long as you work the required number of hours and your Employer makes monthly contributions on your behalf.

Your eligibility for benefits in any month depends on your Employer's contributions being received in a timely manner by TBT (see When Coverage Ends on page 6 of the Guide To Your Benefits). Who is Eligible as a Dependent?