Welfare Notes - August 2008

Unfit For Duty

If you are Unfit for Duty, your eligibility for coverage may be extended; however, you must inform the Plan office of your Unfit for Duty status with documentation from your attending physician.  Periodic updates of your status should be submitted if your disability continues.

Unfit for Duty status does not automatically add time onto the eligibility period.  The extension of eligibility due to Unfit for Duty status is dependent upon the Unfit for Duty dates and the Fit for Duty date.

When an eligible member becomes Fit for Duty, he has 3 months starting in the month after becoming Fit for Duty to work 60 days to continue his eligibility. 

As an example, if a member’s eligibility period is 05/01/08 through 04/30/09 and he becomes Unfit for Duty in July 2008 and becomes Fit for Duty in September 2008, his eligibility is not extended.  In this example the Fit for Duty date would make October, November, and December the time frame for him to work the 60 days needed to keep eligibility from lapsing.  The eligibility period, however, covers him through April 2009 so the Unfit for Duty time would not affect the eligibility period.

If a member with an eligibility period of 05/01/08 through 04/30/09 became Unfit for Duty in April 2009 and Fit for Duty in July 2009, his eligibility would be extended for May, June, and July 2009, as well as, the months of August, September, and October 2009 during which he would have to work at least 60 days to keep his eligibility from terminating.

If the member in this example failed to work 60 days between August through October 2009, eligibility would terminate in the month following the last extension month (November) and the member must work 120 days within 12 months to become eligible again. 

Time worked in the extension months after becoming Fit for Duty does not count in the 120 days within 12 months required if eligibility is terminated.  Participants who regain eligibility after being terminated must re-enroll in a plan.      

Michelle Chang, Administrator  
Patty Martin  
Virginia Briggs, Claims  
Michael Jacyna, Eligibility  

SUP Welfare Plan

Phone Numbers: 415-778-5490 or 1-800-796-8003
Fax: 415-778-5495
Training Representative Berit Eriksson 415-957-1816
SIU-PD Pension Plan  415-764-4987
SIU-PD Supplemental Benefits Fund  415-764-4991