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Getting to Know
As an Apprentice with United Association Air Conditioning & Refrigeration Pipefitters Local 725, you are entitled to receive fringe benefits paid on your behalf by the contributing employers of the Mechanical Contractors Association of South Florida.
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This page will give you information on those fringe benefits as you can also click on the menu for information on your wage packet, negotiated wages and other information on advantages of being a union member. Also the history of the Local.
Pension
With every hour you work, your employer is contributing money toward your accrued Pension benefit for when you retire early at age 55 or normal at age 65.
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This accrued benefit will be paid to you monthly when you retire for the remainder of your life. If you are married, your spouse will be entitled to a benefit if you were to pre-decease your spouse.
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To be vested in your Pension, you need to obtain 5 vesting credits. It takes 1,000 hours in a calendar year to receive 1 vesting credit. A minimum of 400 hours in a calendar year is needed to obtain .25 vesting credit.
Health
Health coverage begins when an apprentice enters 2nd year of training. And coverage continues as long as you work at least 100 hours in a month. Hours worked in January gives you coverage in March.
If you work more than 100 hours in a month, the hours over 100 are placed into an Hour Bank, which can be used to continue your coverage if you don't work 100 hours. The maximum hours allowed in the Hours Bank is 1,000 hours.
Your Medical Coverage is through Florida Blue and is a PPO network, which means you can see any doctor without having a referral from a primary care provider.
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Your Prescription Coverage is through Sav-Rx. This is not a discount card but a full prescription insurance card.
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Your eligible dependents (lawful spouse, biological children, legally adopted children, and step-children) can be added to your coverage by completing an enrollment/vital form with required documents.
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In addition to medical & prescription, you also have dental coverage through Florida Blue Dental and a Member Assistance Program, brought to you by Ulliance Life Advisor. And a new Vision Program administered by EyeMed. The Fund offers a self-funded Life Benefit and Accidental Death & Dismemberment benefit for actively working members.
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Learn more about our Members Assistance Program >>>>
Learn more about our Medical <<<< Coverage
Learn more about our Prescription Drug Plan >>>>
Learn more about our Vision
<<<< Benefit
Defined Contribution
In addition to the Pension benefit, Apprentices in 4th & 5th year, you are earning an additional retirement benefit.
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The Defined Contribution Fund provides you with an secondary retirement benefit. For every hour you work, your employer is remitting contributions to your DC account which gets pooled with the other members in the DC Fund and is invested by the Board prudently to provide investment interest whenever possible.
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To be vested in your DC Fund, you need 2 vesting credits. It takes 1,000 hours in a calendar year to obtain 1 vesting credit. A minimum of 500 hours in a calendar year is needed to obtain .50 vesting credits.
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You can grow your secondary retirement benefit by electing to defer contributions from your gross take home pay into an elective account that again gets pooled with the other accounts and invested by the Board with the assistance of an Investment Consultant.
Participant Portal
Welcome to your Participant Portal, where as an Apprentice 2nd year & up, you can view your personal benefit information, securely and easily 24 hours a day. From your computer or phone.
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You can view your pension history, your defined contribution account balance, your health coverage & hour bank information as well as work hours and dependent information.
