Newsletter

Pop Quiz time.

ERTS is an anacronym for:

1. Expected Return to Service
2. Electronic Resources Tracking System
3. Embedded Real Time Systems
4. Electronic Reciprocal Transfer System

TAX FREE INCOME IN RETIREMENT IS A REALITY

AS YOU ARE A PARTICIPANT THAT UNDERSTANDS THIS REALITY, AND YOU WISH TO RETIRE ON YOUR OWN TERMS AND IN STYLE, YOU NEED TO DO THIS!

It neither takes mathematical machinations nor back of napkin calculations to determine that tax-free income is a great thing.

ATTENTION RETIREES
YOU CAN
RECEIVE YOUR MONTHLY PENSION BENEFIT AND A WEEKLY PAYCHECK

Here is how that works.

Retirees who wish to return to work under a Collective Bargaining Agreement of an IBEW Local Union from now until December 31st, 2022, are allowed to work AND receive their Local 697 monthly Pension Benefit if:

A) Ninety (90) calendar days have elapsed from the date of their first monthly IBEW Local 697 Pension benefit payment, and,

B) At the time that they return to work and throughout that stay of employment, the employees ERTS election delineates that all benefit fund contributions are to be reciprocated to the Benefit Funds of the IBEW Local 697.

If the retiree returns to work please be advised that:

C) You will maintain your current retiree status within the Lake County Indiana, NECA-IBEW Health and Benefit Plan.

Did you know that United Healthcare provides a hearing benefit? Specifically, the benefit is:

$0.00 cost for a Routine Hearing Test up to 1 per year.
$1,500 combined (meaning in total for both ears) allowance for hearing aids, every three years and only if you established a “Hearing Account” with United Healthcare prior to ordering your hearing aids.

ATTENTION ALL
HEALTH AND BENEFIT FUND PARTICIPANTS

If your spouse or other covered dependent gains or losses insurance with another carrier, you must inform the Fund Office of that fact right away. To learn more about the do’ and don’ts of this requirement as well as the causes and effects if the requirement is not adhered to, please reference the sections within your Summary Plan titled “Coordination of Benefits” and “Enrollment”.

Okay, I want everyone to gather around, shorter folks in front, taller folks in the back. All settled? Now, by a show of hands – and I want everyone to be honest here – how many of you know:

That you must inform the Health and Welfare Fund right away with any changes in your participation with that Plan.

All fourth quarter shortage of hours payments must be made in full and received by the Benefit Fund office no later than:

12:30 P.M.
ON
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 31ST 2021

The Federal Credit Union is not the Benefit Office.

That you can see the details of any pre-certification you receive on your Create portal?

You can. Just click upon the word “precertification” found within the “Menu” section located on the upper left-hand side of the Create portal.

Whether you were naughty or nice in 2021, the Board of Trustees have you covered in 2022. Listed below are important improvements that you should be aware of:

Effective January 1, 2022, the annual family dental allowance for Active members will be increased by 50% to $3,000.00 per year.

We are pleased to inform you that there will be an improvement to your United HealthCare Medical and Prescription Drug Coverage under the IBEW Local 697 Health & Benefit Medicare Eligible Retiree Plan effective January 1, 2022.

Your plan is not changing.