Can I work as a carpenter and collect my pension at the same time?
Generally, no. After you retire and begin collecting pension benefits, if you work in prohibited employment, your
pension benefit will be suspended and you are legally required to pay the benefits back to the Plan, for the period of
time you were working in prohibited employment.
- Before reaching age 65 prohibited employment means employment, self-employment or other business activity in the trade
or craft of carpentry or other business activity covered by a collective bargaining agreement or participation agreement
in any geographic location.
- At or after reaching age 65, until reaching age 70½ prohibited employment means employment, self-employment or other
business activity in the trade or craft of carpentry or other business activity covered by a collective bargaining
agreement or participation agreement in any geographic location of 40 hours or more in a month.
- After age 70½ No types of employment are prohibited. Disability Pensioners are permitted to engage in and have
earnings from non-carpentry type employment provided that the earnings for such employment do not exceed the Social
Security Administration’s “substantial gainful activity” (SGA) earnings limit, as adjusted annually.
Be sure to review the information on
Prohibited Employment in more detail
and contact the
Retirement Benefits Department, if you are thinking about going back to work.
What do I do when I stop working in Prohibited Employment and want to resume my pension benefit?
If you stop working in prohibited employment and want to resume pension benefits, you must call the Retirement Benefits Department for a reinstatement application. The completed application must be received by the Retirement Benefits Department at least sixty (60) days before pension payments to resume. Your reinstatement will be effective on the first day of the month following the latest of:
- The date you stopped working in prohibited employment; or
- The date the Reinstatement Application is received by the Pension Fund Office.