Initial Eligibility
To initially establish eligibility you need 275 hours of covered work within a three-month period. You must have at least one hour of work in the first of the three months. You must enroll with the Trust Office before a claim can be processed.

Dependent Eligibility
The following family members become eligible at the same time you become eligible

• A lawful spouse, unless legally separated.
• A domestic partner subject to satisfaction of certain enrollment and tax prepayment requirements.
• Unmarried children who are under age 19 and are your dependents, including:
  • Natural children and legally adopted children.
  • A child placed with you for adoption before the adoption is finalized.
  • Stepchildren who live with you.
  • Legally placed children, meaning any child dependent by virtue of a court order specifying that you have legal custody.
  • Natural children born out of wedlock.

See the SPD for definitions of some of these terms and for a discussion of establishing paternity for natural children born out of wedlock.

Lag Month
Because the Trust Office needs to process the contributions sent in by your employer, there is a lag month between the month your accumulated hours reach 275 and the month your eligibility begins. So, if you reach 275 hours for initial eligibility in April, then your coverage will begin on June 1st. May is the lag month.