- This Plan Description and its attachments consitute the summary
Plan Description for purposes of ERISA. Each Participant shall be entitled to a copy of the summary Plan Description.
- Participants are entitled to certain rights and protections under ERISA. All Participants are entitled to:
- Examine, without charge, at the Executive Committee's office or the Benefit Administrator's office all Plan documents, including insurance contracts and copies of documents filed by the Plan with the U.S. Department of Labor, such as detailed annual reports and plan descriptions. In addition, Plan documents will be made available at the meeting hall or office of each group which has at least fifty (50) covered Participants;
- Obtain copies of all Plan documents and other Plan information upon written reqest to the Executive Committee or the Benefit Administrator, including the latest summary plan description. The Executive Committee and the Benefit Administrator may make a reasonable charge for the copies; and
- Receive fron the Executive Committee a summary of the Plan's annual financial report.
- In addition to creating rignts for Participants, ERISA imposes duties upon the people who are responsible for operation of the Plan. The people who operate the Plan, called "fiduciaries", have a duty to do so prudently and in the interest of Participants and their beneficiaries. No one may fire Participants or otherwise discriminate against Participants in any way for purposes of preventing Participants from obtaining a benefit or esercising their rightas under ERISA,
If a Participant makes a claim for benefits which is denied in whole or in part, the Participant must receive a written esplaination of the reason for the denial. The Participant has the right to have the Executive Committee review and reconsider the claim.
There are steps Participants can take to enforce their rights under ERISA. For instance, if Participants request materials from the Plan and do not receive them within thirty (30) days, Participants may file suit in federal court. In such a case. unless the materials were not sent because of reasons beyond the Plan's control, the court may require the Executive Committee or other responsible persons to provide the materials and pay Participants up to $100 a day until Participants receive the materials. If a Participant has a claim for benefits which is denied or ignored, in whole or in part, the Participant may file suit in a state or federal court.
If Plan fiduciaries misuse the Plan's money or Participants are discriminated against for asserting their rights, Participants may seek assistance ftom the U. S. Department of Labor, or file suit in a federal court. The court will decide who should pay court costs and legal fees. If Participants are successful, the court may order the person sued to pay these costs and fees. If Participants lose (for example, if the court finds the the claim is frivolous), ir may order Participants to pay these costs and fees.
If Participants have any questions about the Plan, they should contact the Executive Committee or the Administrators. If Participants have any questions about their rights under ERISA , they should contact the nearest area office of the U.S. Labor-Management Administration, Department of Labor.
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