Plan Description

Local No. 8, I.B.E.W.’s Employee Retention Program (ERP) provides a supplemental unemployment benefit to protect JIW and apprentices in the event of sustained unemployment. Credits are earned based upon hours worked per month, and are "spent" to receive benefits.

Each JIW and Inside Apprentice has an account to track credits, and eligibility for the program is based upon the members’ status on the Local 8 referral book.

Benefits are paid on a weekly basis at an amount equal to 18% of the base wage* at 40 hours per week.  Once you run out of credits, you are ineligible to receive the benefit until you have obtained at least 1 credit. 

*The "base wage" is the JIW rate, or the applicable percentage based on apprentice classification.

Frequently Asked Questions: 
 

How much is the benefit?
The benefit is based on the JIW (or reduced percentage for apprentices) wage, assuming a 40-hour work week. The benefit is also tiered by how long you’ve been out of work.

Are ERP benefits taxable?
ERP benefits are taxable income for which tax documents will be provided.

I didn’t receive a check for a week I think I should have. Why?
There are several potential answers to that question. First did you submit an application for that week?

Secondly, there may not have been a check run for that week. If the referral hall has gone through Book 1 and the Day Hall and still has open referrals, ERP payments and ERP eligibility accrual are suspended for that week.

Third, if you worked a short call that week, you may or may not be eligible for benefits. Benefits are based upon a Monday-Sunday work week. If you worked 2 or more days out of 7, you are not eligible.

Eligibility/Ineligibility

The ERP compensates eligible members who work covered employment as an Inside Journeyman or Apprentice and who contribute to the plan. Class 26 employees, Residential and Teledata employees, Retirees, and Dependents are NOT eligible for ERP benefits.

Establishing Eligibility
Before a new member can qualify for ERP benefits, he/she must first establish eligibility by earning a minimum 12 credits. Members who were participants in the Health Plan on the effective date of the ERP (May 1, 2006) were grandfathered into the plan with the 12-credit minimum.

Once a member satisfies minimum service once, the member is never required to establish eligibility again, except in the case of a break in service.

Breaks in Service
If you don’t accrue a new credit for 24 consecutive months, you are considered to have a break in service. Any and all credits are forfeit, and you have to reestablish initial eligibility.

The following exceptions are not considered breaks in service:

• Service in any branch of the United States Armed Forces
• Unemployment due to accident, disease, injury, or illness
• Employment outside the geographic area by an employer subject to IBEW-NECA national reciprocity agreement

Upon retirement, all credits are forfeited and eligibility must also be reestablished, if a retiree returns to work.

If either of these cases apply, a member must reestablish eligibility by earning 12 credits before they may draw a benefit.

Eligibility
To be eligible for ERP benefits, you must be:

• Involuntarily terminated for reasons other than cause, and
• Not working in another jurisdiction, and
• Be on the Local 8 available-to-work list, and
• Be receiving state unemployment benefits or show conclusive evidence of eligibility

If you have rolled the book, you are not eligible for ERP benefits unless you were working out of the Local 8 jurisdiction for an employer who is subject to reciprocity.

If you are not employed out of Local 8's jurisdiction when you roll, you are not eligible for ERP benefits, and will not be eligible until you accept a work referral and are laid off from that referral through no fault of your own.

To be eligible for benefits after having rolled the Local 8 book, but before you have accepted a new referral, you must meet the following 3 requirements:

1. You were employed out of the jurisdiction when you rolled the Local 8 book
2. You can provide proof (such as pay stubs) that you were employed by a qualifying employer in another geographic area out of the jurisdiction when you rolled, and
3. You are currently on the Local 8 available-to-work book.

You are not eligible for ERP benefits if:

• You were terminated for cause
• You are currently working in the electrical industry outside of the jurisdiction
• You are working for a non-signatory contractor
• You have retired or received a termination-of-employment pension distribution
• You are receiving disability benefits

Frequently Asked Questions:

I’ve rolled the book. Can I get ERP benefits?
It depends. If you rolled the book while you are employed in another jurisdiction by an employer subject to IBEW-NECA national reciprocity agreement, you can be eligible once you fulfill the following:

1. You were employed out of the jurisdiction when you rolled the Local 8 book
2. You can provide proof (such as paystubs) that you were employed by a qualifying employer in another geographic area out of the jurisdiction when you rolled, and
3. You are currently on the Local 8 available-to-work book

Please keep in mind that if you falsify documents or attempt to collect ERP benefits while working in another jurisdiction, by signing the application or sending us an electronic copy, you agree that you are responsible for returning the money to the fund.

Can I get ERP benefits if I’ve scheduled a vacation?
If you schedule a vacation with the referral office, it will be handled for ERP purposes as though you were working, i.e. 1 day of vacation in a Mon-Sun week, you are eligible. If you have 2 or more days you are not eligible. Also, weeks of vacation are not counted as unemployment for eligibility accrual purposes

I’ve been out of the industry for a while, but am back. Can I start getting ERP benefits immediately?
It depends on the reason for which you have been out. If you have retired, you must reestablish eligibility.

However, if for example, you have been called to service in the U.S. Military, you would not have to reestablish eligibility and could apply for the ERP as soon as you sign the book.

See "Breaks in Service" above for a complete list of what is and is not considered a break. 

 

Credits

Credits are earned monthly based on hours worked that month:

• More than 1 hour but less than 24 hours worked per month = 1 credit earned
• More than 24 hours worked per month = 2 credits earned

Weeks of unemployment benefit are paid in exchange for credits, where one credit pays one week of benefit. Each member has an account to track credits accrued and spent.

Members can accrue a maximum of 52 credits in their account.

While in theory a member can also accrue credits by sending reciprocity payments while working outside of Local 8's jurisdiction, in practice the "health and welfare" dollars are divided in this manner:

1. Paying for Health Insurance
2. Satisfying the VEBA/SFBF
3. Earning credits for the ERP

There are very few locals nationwide whose contribution is sufficient to cover past item #2.

However, if the member is receiving payment sufficient to satisfy #1 and #2, contributions above the amount needed for H&W and VEBA are converted to credits using a formula:

Application for Benefits

When a member signs the book, he should also submit a completed ERP application to the benefits office. These are available online or at the benefits office.

You must submit a completed ERP application for every week you think you may be eligible, as applications will not be “held” until you are eligible. Applications are accepted Wednesday afternoon of the benefit week through 5 pm the following Monday.

You may also fill out and submit your ERP application online by logging into your account. To log in, fill in your username and password at the left. If you do not have a username and password, please contact the Benefits' Office at 419-666-4450.

The ERP application is under “ERP” in the navigation on the left side of the page. If you have questions about logging into your account or submitting an application for benefits, contact the Benefits' Office.