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OPINION OF TRUSTEES
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In Re

Complainants: Employees
Respondent: Employer
ROD Case Nos: 81-232 and 81-243 – December 19, 1983

Board of Trustees: Harrison Combs, Chairman; John J. O’Connell, Trustee; Paul R. Dean, Trustee.

根据美国联合煤矿工人1950年福利计划和信托皇冠搏彩中心网站第九条, 并根据美国劳工部授予的豁免授权, 受托人审查了这些争议的事实和情况，这些争议涉及雇主根据雇主福利计划的条款为下岗员工提供福利保险，并在此提出他们对此事的意见,

Background Facts

申诉人于1982年开始受雇于答辩人. 被告于1982年12月31日解雇了原告. 申诉人没有按照1981年《官方网站》的要求提交采矿小组表格, 并被被告告知他们的雇佣关系已被终止, 由此终止任何召回权和所有合同利益.

One Complainant had worked more than 2,在他最后一次为答辩人工作的日期之前的24个月内，为答辩人工作的000小时, while the other Complainant had worked 1,在被申请人最后一次为被申请人工作的日期前的8个月内，他的工作时数为281小时.

Dispute

被投诉人是否有责任根据投诉人在最后工作日期前为被投诉人工作的时数，为被投诉人提供额外的福利保障?

Position of the Parties

Position of the Complainant’s; The Complainants feel they have earned continuation of coverage from the Respondent based on their hours worked.

Position of Respondent: The Complainants had not submitted a timely panel form; therefore, they severed their employment relationship which, in turn, terminated their rights to all contractual benefits.

Pertinent Provisions

雇主福利计划第I(1)、(2)和(4)条规定:

Article I – Definitions

下列术语具有本协议规定的含义:

(1) “Employer” means (coal company

(2) “工资协议”指1981年《官方网站》, as amended from time to time and any successor agreement.

(4) “雇员”系指为雇主从事保密工作的人员, eligible to receive benefits hereunder.

Article III.D.(1) (a) and (e) of~ the Employer’s Benefit Plan provide:

Article III – Benefits

D. General Provisions

(1) Continuation of Coverage

(a) Layoff

If an Employee ceases work because of layoff, continuation of health, 人身意外死亡和肢解保险的保险范围如下:

Numbers of Hours Worked for the
Employer in the 24 Consecutive Period of
Calendar Month Period Immediately Coverage Continuation
Prior to the Employee’s Date Last from the Date
Worked Last Worked

2,000 or more hours Balance of month
plus 12 months

500 or more but less than Balance of month
2,000 hours plus 6 months

Less than 500 hours 30 days

(e) Quit or Discharge

If an Employee quits or is discharged, health, 人身、意外死亡和肢解保险自最后工作日期起终止.
1981年《官方网站》第17条(c)款规定:

(c) Layoff Procedure

在所有需要裁减或重新安排劳动力的情况下, 管理层应至少提前24小时与矿山委员会开会，审查可供裁撤的岗位和人员, retained or realigned.

在员工被告知其将被解雇后的五(5)天内, 他必须填写一份标准化表格，并将其提交给矿山管理部门. On this form, the laid-off Employee shall list: (1) his years of service at the mine; (2) his years of serving with the Employer; (3) his previous mining experience with other Employers and the years of service with each; and (4) the jobs he is able to perform and for which he wishes to be recalled. Additionally, the Employee may also list, on the standardized form, (5) the mines of his Employer within the UMWA district on whose panel he wishes his name to be placed; (6) his choice of mines of his Employer located in one additional geographically contiguous UMWA district on whose panel he wishes he name to be placed.

Upon receipt of the completed form, the Employer shall within seven calendar days, 将填妥的表格副本分发给员工当地工会的记录秘书，以及员工希望根据本节规定将其姓名列入评议名单的所有矿山的各自评议小组保管人.

Discussion

Under Article III.D. of the Employer’s Benefit Plan, 向下岗矿工提供的持续福利覆盖的数额是基于他在最后工作日期之前的24个月内为雇主工作的小时数. Where, as here, 领取津贴的权利和数额是以过去的服务为基础的, the benefit is considered an accrued benefit. 雇主只能在利益合同中明确规定丧失利益的条件的基础上，扣留应计利益.

答辩人声称，如果被解雇的雇员未能在1981年《皇冠搏彩中心网站》第17条的资历规定所要求的时间范围内提交专家组表格，他就丧失了继续享有健康福利的权利. 既不是雇主福利计划，也不是1981年工资协议, however, 明确规定，未能在规定的期限内提交地雷小组表格将导致终止继续享有福利. 因此，被投诉人不恰当地终止了投诉人的福利保障.

Opinion of Trustees

受托人认为，被投诉人有责任在第三条规定的期间内为投诉人提供福利保障.D. (1)(a).