IMPORTANT INFORMATION REGARDING FUND OFFICE OPENING UP TO MEMBERS BY APPOINTMENT ONLY

Due to the office capacity limitations imposed by the New York State Department of Health, the Fund Office will be open to members by appointment only, Monday through Friday, between the hours of 8:45 am to 4:15 pm starting Monday October 5th. You can make an appointment by sending an email to:

pensionannuity@mtdctrustfunds.org - for an appointment with the Pension/Annuity Department
eligibility@mtdctrustfunds.org - for an appointment with the Eligibility Department
contributions@mtdctrustfunds.org - for an appointment with the Contribution Department
accounting@mtdctrustfunds.org - for an appointment with the Accounting Department

We will try to accommodate your appointment time requested as best as we can. Please include the following information in your appointment request email:

Name and Book Number
Date and Time you would like your appointment (please provide a few possible dates)
Phone number
Reason for appointment

You will receive an email letting you know the date and time of your appointment. If you arrive at the office without an appointment, you will not be seen. You should not arrive at the Fund Office more than 5 minutes prior to your appointment. Members are required to wear masks and, to the greatest extent possible, maintain a distance of at least six feet from others at all times while in the office and while entering/departing. Members may not enter the office if they are experiencing symptoms consistent with COVID-19, such as fever, cough, difficulty breathing, or congestion/runny nose. You will be sent a Visitor Health Screening Questionnaire with your appointment email that will need to be completed immediately prior to your coming to your appointment and handed to the staff member you are meeting with. This form can also be obtained by clicking this link.

Please Click On This Link For Important Information Regarding Behavioral Health Televideo Counseling Services.

INFORMATION FOR NEW JERSEY RESIDENT WELFARE FUND PARTICIPANTS

New Jersey residents who participate in the Welfare Fund will soon be receiving new Identification Cards from Aetna. The new card (which you should start using July 1) includes a note showing that the Fund is enrolled in a program that is provided in accordance with a New Jersey law, which protects New Jersey residents from being balance billed by out-of-network health care providers in New Jersey for covered healthcare services under certain circumstances. You will receive a notice from the Fund Office with more information about the program and the types of claims it applies to. If you have questions about balance billing or the program, please contact Aetna at the number on the back of your Identification Card.

Please Click On This Link For Important Information Regarding Extensions of Deadlines Related to Benefit Claims and Appeals, Special Enrollment and COBRA.

IMPORTANT MESSAGE REGARDING COVID-19 HARDSHIP DISTRIBUTION CHECKS

The checks for approved COVID-19 Hardship Distribution applications that were received by the Fund by May 10th were mailed on Friday, June 5th . Due to US postal service delays as a result of the pandemic, please allow 10 business days before contacting the Fund Office about your check. The checks for applications received by the Fund by May 10th in which all missing information is received by the Fund by June 15th will be mailed the end of June. Thank you for your patience.

The checks for approved COVID-19 Hardship Distribution applications that were received by the Fund by April 15th were mailed on Monday, May 11th. Due to US postal service delays as a result of the pandemic, please allow 10 business days before contacting the Fund Office about your check. Thank you for your patience.

IMPORTANT MESSAGE REGARDING NEW HARDSHIP DISTRIBUTION OPTION DUE TO COVID-19*

The Board of Trustees has adopted a new Annuity Fund hardship withdrawal option to assist participants during this difficult time while they face unforeseen financial consequences due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Under this option, an active (non-retired) participant may apply for a one-time withdrawal of $10,000 from their account (or their entire account balance, if the balance is less than $10,000). Eligible participants may submit an application to the Fund Office at any time from now until June 10, 2020.

Applications should be submitted by mail to the Fund Office at Mason Tenders' District Council Trust Funds, 520 Eighth Avenue, Suite 600, New York, NY 10018-4196. Participants will be required to complete a certification along with the application. As with all Fund withdrawals, spousal consent will be required if a married participant's account balance is or at any time was more than $5,000.

This one-time withdrawal will not count toward the Fund's current limit of one non-educational Hardship Withdrawal per calendar year. Applications received by the Fund Office by April 15th will be processed and paid by early May; applications received between April 16th and May 10th will be processed and paid by early June; and applications received between May 11th and June 10th will be processed and paid by early July. (The Fund Office is doing its best to process all benefit applications in a timely manner during this very difficult time so please be patient if there are delays.)

Note that some of these withdrawals may qualify for certain tax relief under the new federal CARES Act -- waiver of the 10% early distribution tax penalty and payment of income taxes on the distribution over a three-year period. Participants should consult their tax advisors for advice regarding the tax consequences of any withdrawal. The Fund does not (and cannot) give tax advice.

As per the usual Fund rules in accordance with federal law, participants (and their spouse, if married) must have their signature notarized in order for their application to be processed. We recognize that some participants may be unable to go to a notary at this time but a number of states (including New York) offer virtual or remote notarization to assist individuals during this time. (This link may be helpful in that regard: www.nationalnotary.org/notary-bulletin/blog/2018/06/remote-notarization-what-you-need-to-know.) The availability of virtual notarization should be of great assistance to members who need it.

* Para leer este mensaje en español por favor vaya a esta página Laborers' Local 79 COVID-19 Response.