Yes, individuals employed at YMCAs that participate in the Fund's retirement plans must be enrolled in the Retirement Plan as soon as they are eligible, as a condition of employment. Only new employees hired for the first time by a YMCA after age 60, who are working for a YMCA that requires employees to make contributions, may elect to waive participation. All waivers must be validated by the Fund.
The terms of each YMCA's participation are listed in their Resolution to Participate. These terms include:

• The total percentage of salary contributed for each participant,
• The percentage of the total contributions that the YMCA pays on behalf of its eligible employees, and
• The effective date when the YMCA began participation in the plans.

 

You are eligible to waive participation only if you are age 60 or over when you are hired and work at a shared agreement YMCA. If you choose not to participate in the Fund, you must file a Waiver of Participation with the Fund. Your YMCA's local plan administrator can provide a copy of the form.
 

No, you cannot waive enrollment because of financial hardship.
 

Effective July 1, 2006, the two-year wait to enroll, immediate vesting schedule is the only enrollment and vesting schedule offered by the Retirement Plan. This means that all new employees hired on or after July 2, 2005 by any YMCA must satisfy the two-year service requirement.

Under the two-year wait, immediate vesting schedule, employees become eligible when they have completed 1,000 hours of service during each of any two 12-month periods, beginning with their date of hire or anniversary date. These two years do not have to be consecutive. Employees are enrolled on the first day of the month following their anniversary date, after they complete the service requirement if they are age 21. If their anniversary date falls on the first of the month, they are enrolled on their anniversary date. If the employee is not yet 21 but has met the service requirement, they are enrolled on the first day of the month after they turn 21. If they were born on the first of the month, they are enrolled on their 21st birthday.

Example: Patrick, age 32, is hired on July 15, 2006. He works 1,000 hours in each of the 12-month periods commencing on July 15, 2006 and July 15, 2007. Patrick satisfies the two-year service requirement on July 14, 2008. He will be enrolled in the Retirement Plan on August 1, 2008.

Example: Carla, age 18, is hired on September 15, 2006. She works 1,000 hours in each of the 12-month periods commencing on September 15, 2006 and September 15, 2007. Carla satisfies the two-year service requirement on September 14, 2008. However, she cannot be enrolled until she attains age 21. If Carla's 21st birthday is January 15, 2009, she will be enrolled in the Retirement Plan on February 1, 2009.
 

No, you may work 1,000 hours in each of two anniversary years that are not consecutive and then become eligible to participate in the Plan.
 

If you satisfy all the eligibility requirements by June 30, 2006, you are immediately enrolled. If you do not satisfy the eligibility requirements by June 30, 2006, you are required to satisfy the two-year service requirement.

Example: Diane, age 19, was hired on June 30, 2005. She worked 1,000 hours during the first 12-month period starting on June 30, 2005. Because she was not yet age 21, she was not eligible for enrollment on July 1, 2006. She must satisfy the two-year requirement. Diane attained age 21 on April 6, 2007 and worked 1,000 hours during the 12-month period starting on June 30, 2006. She was enrolled in the Retirement Plan on July 1, 2007.

Example: Aaron, age 25, was hired on April 1, 2005. He worked 1,000 hours during the first 12-month period starting April 1, 2005. He was enrolled April 1, 2006 and became vested after two years of service on April 1, 2007.

Example: Ravi, age 30, was hired on February 1, 2005. He worked 800 hours during the first 12-month period starting February 1, 2005. Because he did not work 1,000 hours in any 12-month period beginning with his date of hire, he was not eligible for enrollment on July 1, 2006. Ravi worked 1,000 hours in each of the 12-month periods commencing on February 1, 2006 and February 1, 2007. Having now satisfied the two-year requirement, he was enrolled in the Retirement Plan on February 1, 2008.

 

Yes, if you are a part-time employee, you are eligible if you satisfy the eligibility requirements. Once enrolled, you continue to participate even if you work less than 1,000 hours in subsequent years.
 

Your new YMCA must take into account all prior service at a participating YMCA when establishing your eligibility to be enrolled in the Retirement Plan. If more than six years go by between the time you leave one YMCA and begin at your next YMCA, you'll be treated as a new employee and your prior service will not count.
 

If you are a participant in the Plan but are not vested in any YMCA contributions, enrollment is immediate as long as there is not more than a six-year break in YMCA employment. If the break in YMCA employment is longer than six years, then you need to reestablish eligibility.

If you are vested, the rule is easy: you are immediately enrolled upon your return, regardless of how long you have been gone.

It is always important to tell your employers if you have ever worked for a YMCA in the past so that proper prior service credit is given.

 

You should first approach the local plan administrator at your YMCA and ask them to recheck your eligibility calculations. You may also call the YMCA Retirement Fund. If the matter is not resolved to your satisfaction, you may make a written request for a review of the matter in accordance with the claims procedures in the Summary Plan Description for the Retirement Plan.
 

The 403(b) Smart Account is available to all employees, regardless of their age and number of hours worked per week.