Brothers and Sisters:

In order to stop the spread of misinformation, please read the attached document from the Mason Tenders’ District Council Welfare Fund stating where we currently stand with regard to Welfare eligibility hours. There have been no new changes since March. The text of the letter has been reprinted below and can be viewed HERE.

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IMPORTANT UPDATED NOTICE

To:       Fund Participants who are Members of Asbestos, Lead & Hazardous Waste Laborers Local 78

From:  Board of Trustees, Mason Tenders’ District Council Welfare Fund (the “Welfare Fund” or “Fund”)

Date:   March 2020

This is an important update to the Welfare Fund’s January 2020 notice concerning the Fund’s eligibility rules for members of Asbestos, Lead & Hazardous Waste Laborers Local 78 (“Local 78”). Please take the time to read this Notice carefully, and keep it with your copy of the Fund’s Summary Plan Description (“SPD”).

As the fund advised participants in its January 2020 notice, the Board of Trustees amended the eligibility rule for participants who work under the jurisdiction of Local 78 to require 1,100 hours of work, effective as of the coverage period beginning on January 1, 2021. Under the new rule, members would be required to work at least 1,100 hours during the 12-month period beginning November 1st through October 31st in order to gain eligibility for one year of coverage the following January 1st through December 31st.

After further consideration, the Board has decided that the annual work requirement for one year of coverage under the fund will be 1,000 hours (instead of 1,100 hours). The 1,000 hour rule will be effective beginning with the work period November 1, 2019 – October 31, 2020 (For coverage under the Fund for calendar year 2021) and for future periods.

All of the other rules and provisions in the January 2020 notice remain unchanged, including the rules regarding the conversion ratio for crediting eligibility hours worked under the Local 78 Residential Side Letter – members performing work covered by the side letter will receive a half-hour of credit under the Fund of each hour of work at the reduced contribution rate, which means that a member will need to work 2,000 hours under the Residential Side Letter in order to be credited with the 1,000 hours for Fund eligibility purposes for the coverage period beginning January 1, 2021.

If you have any questions regarding the information in this Notice, please contact the Fund Office.