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OPINION OF TRUSTEES
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In Re
Complainants: Laid-off Employees and Pensioner
Respondent: Employer
ROD Case No: 84-318 – June 18, 1987
Board of Trustees: Joseph P. Connors, Sr., Chairman; Paul R. Dean, Trustee; William B. Jordan, Trustee; William Miller, Trustee; Donald E. Pierce, Jr., Trustee.
根据美国煤矿工人联合会(“UMWA”)1950年福利计划和信托的第九条, 并根据美国劳工部授予的豁免授权, 受托人审查了有关根据雇主福利计划条款提供健康福利的争议的事实和情况.
Background Facts
投诉人是被解雇的雇员和一名退休人员，其最后的签署人是为被投诉人工作的. Two of the laid-off Complainants last worked for the Respondent on September 17, 1986. The remaining laid-off Complainants last worked for the Respondent on September 29, 1986, when the Respondent ceased operations. 每名被解雇投诉人在其最后一次工作日期前的24个月期间工作超过2000小时. 被投诉人向申诉人提供了截至10月31日的医疗保险, 1986, when all coverage was terminated.
申诉人代表争辩说，答辩人有责任在申诉人10月31日以后的个人资格期间向其提供医疗保险, 1986. 申诉人声称，它已停止业务，在经济上无法为申诉人提供医疗保险. On April 15, 1987, the United Mine Workers of America 1974 Benefit Plan and Trust determined that, as of that date, the Respondent is not financially unable to provide health benefits and, therefore, does not satisfy the no-longer-in-business provisions of Article II E.(4) of the UMWA 1974 Benefit Plan and Trust.
Dispute
被投诉人是否负责向投诉人提供10月31日以后的医疗保险, 1986, under the terms of the Employer Benefit Plan.
Positions of the Parties
申诉人的立场:申诉人有权在10月31日以后的个人资格期内享受医疗保险, 1986, as determined under the terms of the Employer Benefit Plan.
答辩人的立场:答辩人已停止经营，在经济上无法向申诉人提供医疗保险.
Pertinent Provisions
1984年《皇冠搏彩中心》第20 (c)(3)(i)条有关部分规定:
(3)(i)各签署雇主应建立并维持员工福利计划，以提供, implemented through an insurance carrier(s), 本协议所涵盖的雇员以及领取养老金者的健康和其他非养老金福利, under the 1974 Pension Plan and Trust, whose last signatory classified employment was with such Employer. 雇主根据该等计划向其合格参与人提供的福利应在本协议有效期内由该雇主按该等计划规定的水平予以保证.
Article I (1), (2), (4) and (5) of the Employer Benefit Plan provide:
Article I – Definitions
The following terms shall have the meanings herein set forth:
(1) “Employer” means (coal company).
(2) “Wage Agreement” means the National Bituminous Coal Wage Agreement of 1984, as amended from time to time and any successor agreement.
(4) “Employee” shall mean a person working in a classified job for the Employer, eligible to receive benefits hereunder.
(5) “Pensioner” shall mean any person who is receiving a pension, 除了(i)根据少于20年的记帐服务领取的递延既得退休金, 或(ii)全部或部分根据1974年养恤金计划第ii G条的规定记入的服务年数的养恤金, or any corresponding paragraph of any successor thereto, under the 1974 Pension Plan (or any successor thereto), whose last classified signatory employment was with the Employer, subject to the provisions of Article II B of this Plan.
Article II A.(1) and (4) and B.(1) of the Employer Benefit Plan provide:
Article II – Eligibility
根据第111条，有资格领取健康津贴的人员如下:
A. Active Employees
Benefits under Article 111 shall be provided to any Employee who:
(1) is actively at work* for the Employer on the effective date of the Wage Agreement; or
(4) 新雇员从为雇主工作的第一天起就有资格享受健康福利.
B. Pensioners
根据本条例第111条，向养恤金领取者提供的健康津贴和人寿保险如下:
(1) 任何退休金领取者，在
(a) such Pensioner’s initial date of retirement under the 1974 Pension Plan, and
(b) October 1, 1984,.shall be eligible for coverage as a Pensioner under, and subject to all other provisions of this Plan. 尽管本计划第1(5)条对退休金领取人的定义(i)及(ii)另有规定, 在12月5日符合1974年福利计划下领取养老金资格的任何此类养老金领取者, 1977, shall be eligible for such benefits, subject to all other provisions of this Plan.
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*积极工作的雇员包括在9月30日积极工作的雇主雇员, 1984, 并在工资协议生效之日起两周后返回雇主的工作岗位.
Article III D. (1)(a) of the Employer Benefit Plan provides:
Article III- Benefits
D. General Provisions
(1) Continuation of Coverage
(a) Layoff
If an Employee ceases work because of layoff, continuation of health, life and accidental death and dismemberment insurance coverage is as follows:
Number of Hours Worked for
the Employer in the 24
Consecutive Calendar Month
Period Immediately Prior to Period of Coverage
the Employee’s Date Continuation from the
Last Worked Date Last Worked
2,000 or more hours Balance of month plus
12 months
500 or more but less than Balance of month plus
2,000 hours 6 months
Less than 500 hours 30 days
Discussion
1984年《皇冠搏彩中心》第XX(c)(3)(i)条要求签字的雇主建立并维持雇主福利计划，为其雇员以及最后签字的分类就业在该雇主的退休人员提供健康和其他非养老金福利. 工资协议规定，在本协议有效期内，雇主根据该计划提供的福利应按该计划规定的水平得到保证. 被投诉人声称其在经济上没有能力提供健康福利，但这并不解除其根据《皇冠搏彩中心网站》提供这种福利的义务.
Article II B. 《皇冠搏彩中心网站》规定，根据1974年《皇冠搏彩中心》有资格领取养恤金的个人，也有资格领取雇主福利计划的健康福利. Article III D. 雇主福利计划(1)(a)规定，根据紧接上次工作日期之前的24个月期间为雇主工作的小时数，为被解雇雇员提供持续的健康福利. 因为投诉人是被解雇的雇员和一名退休人员，其最后签署人的分类工作是在被投诉人, 被投诉人负责向投诉人提供根据条款确定的个人资格期间的健康福利
the Employer Benefit Plan. As stated above, the United Mine Workers of America 1974 Benefit Plan and Trust has determined that, as of April 15, 1987, the Respondent does not satisfy the no-longer-in-business provisions of Article II E.(4) of the United Mine Workers of America 1974 Benefit Plan and Trust.
Opinion of the Trustees
答辩人负责在投诉人10月31日以后的个人资格期间向其提供健康福利, 1986, as determined under the terms of the Employer Benefit Plan.