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To receive a pension from this Plan, you must be in Retirement. Generally, Retirement means that you have left Covered Employment, are eligible to begin a Retirement benefit under the Plan, and are not working in disqualifying employment. You may actually do certain types of work and still be considered retired, as long as that work is not what is called disqualifying employment.
Disqualifying Employment
Exactly what kind of work is disqualifying (that is, will cause a suspension of pension benefits) depends on your age. Also, if you are receiving a Disability Pension, employment will be limited.
- Before age 62. In any month you are employed or self-employed in work regularly performed by Sheet Metal Workers or in any other building trades craft, you will lose your pension for that month.
If you are under 62 and you work in the Sheet Metal Industry in employment that is not covered by a Collective Bargaining Agreement between the employer and Union, your pension will be suspended for six consecutive months for every calendar quarter in which you worked one hour or more in that type of employment in addition to the other suspensions described in this section.
- After Age 62. You will lose your pension for any month in which you are employed or self-employed for more than 40 hours in a month as a Sheet Metal Worker in the State of Illinois labor market area.
- After Age 70½. As of April 1 of the Calendar Year following the year in which you reach 70½, you will be considered retired, whether or not you are employed. This means that disqualifying employment is not applicable to you after April 1 of the Calendar Year following the year in which you reach age 70½.
- After Disability Retirement. Before age 62, benefits will be suspended for each year in which you earn $35,000.00 or more from any employment or gainful pursuit. At or after age 62, benefits will be suspended as described in the After Age 62 bullet above.
You are required to report any disqualifying work to the Fund Office within 15 days of starting the work. If you do not notify the Fund Office within 15 days, your pension benefits will be suspended for an additional twelve months. If you are not sure whether or not a job you are considering is disqualifying employment, check with the Fund Office.
It is important for you to know that you are obligated to repay the pension amounts you receive while working in disqualifying employment. When you stop working and your benefits begin again, part of your payments will be withheld until the Fund has recovered benefits improperly paid to you. If you are age 62 or older, the Plan may withhold the first three monthly payments due to you plus up to 25% of the following monthly amounts (including payments to your spouse) if necessary to recover any overpayment. Prior to age 62, all checks due to you may be withheld by the Plan until the overpayment is recovered.