Pension > SPD > Earning Service Credits

EARNING SERVICE CREDITS

Service credit is accumulated on three bases:

  • Credit for bargaining unit employment AFTER December 31, 1975 (Future Service);
  • Credit for bargaining unit employment AFTER January 31, 1963 but before January 1, 1976 (Future Service); and
  • Credit for bargaining unit employment BEFORE February 1, 1963 (Past Service) including certain absences of not more than two years, but time during the break in employment does not count as service credit.

How Are Service Credits Earned for Employment After December 31, 1975?

You will be credited with one year of service for each full Plan Year of your bargaining unit employment. A Plan Year in which you have completed at least 1,000 hours of service as a covered employee will be counted as a full year of service.

For periods after December 31, 1975 and prior to January 1, 1988, proportional credit will be given for fewer hours of service as a covered employee in a Plan Year as follows:

Hours of Service in Plan Year Year of Future Service Credit
Less than 160 None
160 but less than 320 0.1
320 but less than 480 0.2
480 but less than 640 0.3
640 but less than 800 0.4
800 but less than 960 0.5
960 but less than 1,000 0.6
1,000 or more 1.0

Effective January 1, 1988, you will be credited with 190 hours of service for each calendar month in which you earn at least one hour of service. You will be credited with a full year of Future Service if you are credited with at least 1,000 hours of service as a covered employee during the Plan Year.

Proportional credit will be given for fewer hours of service as a covered employee in a Plan Year as follows:

Hours of Service in Plan Year Year of Future Service Credit
Less than 190 None
190 but less than 380 0.1
380 but less than 570 0.2
570 but less than 760 0.3
760 but less than 950 0.4
950 but less than 960 0.5
960 but less than 1,000 0.6
1,000 or more 1.0

Employees of WMAL, Inc. who were covered by a collective bargaining agreement between the Company and the Union as of March 4, 1977 became participants in this Plan on March 4, 1977. Such participants and individuals who became employees after March 4, 1977 are credited with Future Service on or after March 4, 1977 in accordance with a letter of understanding and agreement between the Company and the Union dated August 21, 1978.

For additional information regarding the crediting of service and pension benefit entitlement for former employees of WMAL, Inc., please contact the Fund Office.

How Are Service Credits Earned for Employment After January 31, 1963 but Before January 1, 1976?

You will be credited with one year of service for each full Plan Year of your continuous employment with the Company as a regular employee as defined in the collective bargaining agreement in effect after January 31, 1963 and before December 31, 1975. Any Plan Year in which you had 20 or more pay periods of continuous service as a regular employee is counted as a full year of service. You are given proportional credit for service totaling less than 20 continuous pay periods during the Plan Year.

How Are Service Credits Earned for Employment Before February 1, 1963?

If you were a covered employee on February 1, 1963 you will be credited with one year of Past Service for each year of your continuous bargaining unit employment with the Company before February 1, 1963, and you earn partial credit to the nearest month for any continuous service less than a year in length.

Is There Any Way an Employee Can Receive Service Credit for Time When Not in Bargaining Unit Employment?

Yes, under certain circumstances. You will receive full credit (Future Service credit and Vesting Service credit), as though you were actively at work during the following periods if, with respect to those periods, contributions, as specified in the collective bargaining agreement, are made on your behalf:

  1. During an approved leave of absence because of illness, after January 1, 1983, up to a maximum of three years; however, if you have more than six years of total Company seniority (as determined under the collective bargaining agreement) you may earn credit for an approved leave of absence due to illness that extends up to 50% of your years of Company seniority. But to receive this credit you must either return to full-time employment, or become eligible for normal retirement or for early retirement. For further details, including limitations, on the grant of future service credit pursuant to this paragraph, please contact the Fund Administrator.
  2. During an approved leave of absence for maternity reasons granted by the Company to a female participant for up to six months.
  3. During an approved leave for Union activity.
  4. Any approved leave of absence not exceeding one year.
  5. During certain military service to the extent required by law.
  6. During a layoff after which you are rehired with "rehiring rights" as specified in the collective bargaining agreement.

However, even if contributions are not made on your behalf, in the case of absences described in (1), (2), (3) and (5) above, Future Service and Vesting Service credit will be granted.

A period of absence described above will not result in a break in service (see below) provided you return to active employment with the Company within the time period specified in the collective bargaining agreement. The requirement to return to active employment does not apply to absences described in (1) and (3) above.

Base Pay is credited during leaves of absence described in (1), (2), (3) or (5) above. For these purposes, Base Pay includes the weekly pay that you would have been entitled to receive if you had continued in active bargaining unit employment in the job classification to which you are normally assigned.