GENERAL INFORMATION
VACATION-HOLIDAY SAVINGS TRUST

Contributions by employers signatory to an agreement with Local #12 finance the Vacation- Holiday Savings Trust.  Every signatory employer is required to pay a specified rate per hour to the Trust Fund for each Operating Engineer on his payroll.

The Trust was established on June 15, 1962 and became effective on July 10, 1963.  Its purpose is to provide benefits to employees of an employer who contributes to the Trust under the terms of the Collective Bargaining Agreement.  Benefits are provided only when contributions have been made on behalf of the employee.

Contributions received on your behalf from July I through June 30 of each year are paid to you on December 1.

If you retire with the Operating Engineers Local 12 Pension Trust, the contributions received on your behalf will be paid to you at retirement.  You do not have to wait for the normal distribution date of December 1.

In the event of the death of an employee, the money received on behalf of the employee is paid to his beneficiary.

PRELIMINARY STATEMENT

Each year a preliminary Vacation-Holiday statement is sent to all participants reported for Vacation-Holiday.  The statement indicates the employer or employers and the number of hours worked, the contributions received and the amount that the participant may expect to receive in the next distribution.  Each participant should carefully check these records to make sure that hours have been properly reported.  Missing information should be reported to the Fund Office immediately.

WITHDRAWAL

The Trustees do allow each participant involved in a distribution to make withdrawals prior to the distribution itself.  You may withdraw any amount from your account at any time; however, you must leave $10 in the account to keep it active.  Forms for withdrawal may be obtained at the Fund Office or any Union District Office , through the mail or you may download and print one here.  The forms must be witnessed by Fund Office personnel or personnel of Local # 12 or a notary public.

THINGS TO DO TO ASSIST IN THE PROMPT 
DELIVERY OF YOUR CHECK

• Keep both the Trust Fund Office and the Local Union advised of any change of address you may have.  The Fund Office will only accept a written notice for a change of address.  The Fund Office will not accept a telephone call change of address and will not accept any written change of address that is not signed by the participant.

• Keep your beneficiary designation up to date.

• If you have reason to think you may have received the wrong check, notify the Fund Office before you cash it.
  

VACATION-HOLIDAY APPEALS PROCEDURE

If your claim for benefits is denied in whole or part, you will receive a written notice of denial from the Fund Office which will state the reason for the denial and will also include the appeals procedure.  The Vacation-Holiday Trustees will make the final decision in every appeal.

An appeal should be submitted to the Board of Trustees within 60 days of receipt of the denial of benefits.  The appeal must be in writing and should state in clear and concise terms the reason for disagreement.  It should be addressed to the Board of Trustees of the Vacation Holiday Savings Trust in care of the Fund Office.  The Trustees will normally review and take final action on the appeal within 60 days of receipt of the appeal.  If they are unable to do so you will be notified if additional time is required.  In any event the Trustees will make the final decision within 90 days after the original 60 day period has elapsed.