Providing you information you need when you are furloughed.
The following information applies to Colorado UPRR members who are furloughed or face a possible furlough.
Seniority District
The Denver seniority hub includes Denver, Pueblo and Grand Junction. You may get forced to protect any of these territories regardless of where you hired out.
Home Point Cutoff
THESE GUIDELINES ARE IN ACCORDANCE WITH SMART AGREEMENTS
AGREEMENTS
Road Schedule 92 (21)
(21) Conductors and brakemen laid off in reduction in force will retain and accumulate seniority and will be returned to service in the order of their seniority provided they keep the Superintendent advised of their current address. Failing to return to service within 30 days after being notified by mail or telegram sent to the last address given; they will be considered out of the service and forfeit seniority unless granted leave of absence in accordance with Rule 88.
The Zone 200, Section 4, agreement:
Section 4.
Employees achieving seniority on Seniority Zone 200 after the effective date of this Agreement shall have rights only on Seniority Zone 200 and shall have no prior rights on any specific former seniority district.
(1) Employees achieving seniority on Seniority Zone 200 after the effective date of this Agreement shall designate one of the five road Seniority Districts as a "Home Point".
(2) When an employee is cut off at their home point or is furloughed at their "Home Point", if their services are not needed at any other location where they hold seniority (Road or Yard) , they will be given the right to remain at the point where cut off or "Home Point", subject to the following conditions:
(a) Within 5 days from the date the employees notified that he is cut off from the extra board he must make a written or telephone request upon CMS for permission to remain at his home point rather than exercise his seniority to another location within Zone 200. If the cut-off employee’s services are not needed at any other location, his request to stay at the home point will be granted and he will be so notified.
(b) The cut-off employee granted permission to remain at his home point under the provisions of paragraph (a) above will be required to report for work at his home point within 48 hours from the time notified to report, or within 5 days from date notified to report if called to report at a location other than his home point.
(c) When employees are needed at a location where there are not sufficient home point men at such location to protect the needs of the service, the junior employee, or employees, remaining at other home points will be notified and will be required to report to the location to which called within 5 days from date of notification.
(d) An employee called to a location other than his home point will, upon written request on CMS, be permitted to return to his home point when there is an ample supply of employees to handle the work at the location to which he has been recalled.
(e) An employee permitted to remain at his home point under paragraph (a) above may return to service prior to recall by filing written notice with the Superintendent or his designated representative. The cut-off employee will, if he has sufficient seniority, be permitted to return to service when the extra board at the location where he desires to work is increased.
(f) A cut-off employee remaining at the home point under paragraph (a) above will be required to keep CMS informed as to his current address.
(g) An employee who is recalled to service in accordance with this agreement and who fails to report for service within the time provided herein will forfeit all employment and seniority rights.
Important Things to Remember Regarding Home Point Cutoff
1. Train service employees will be called back to work in seniority order.
2. You must have current address and phone number updated with CMS unless you have been granted a leave of absence in accordance to rule 88.
3. When you are being called back by CMS to work at your “Home Point” you have 30 days to report or you will lose your seniority and your job. You can report back as soon as you wish. Only if you exhaust all your seniority in the entire hub FIRST, before becoming furloughed. EXAMPLE: A Denver employee who can work in Grand Junction, but cannot in Denver, and chooses to take a furlough in Denver.... if recalled in Denver, has 48 hours, if recalled to a location other than Denver, 5 days.
4. If you come back and only get one start, it will activate your medical benefits for three months and your family’s benefits for four months. This is contrary to National Agreement. National Agreement dictates an employee must work 7 days to qualify in a calendar month. I suggest you only tell the membership, “7 days”. If the Carrier mistakenly restarts payment for benefits after one day worked, it is a bonus. Although Labor Relations Director of Benefits stated to me that, “one day” re-qualifies an employee and they will restart payments for another 3&4-month period, it is not correct.
5. After you are cut from the AWTS board or you are furlough, your benefits are still active for three months and your family’s benefits are active for four months.
6. Home Point cut off = If you live in Grand Junction and you wish to stay there and not come to Denver after being released from the AWTS board and you don’t want to exercise your seniority you may establish a home point cut off or furlough there by contacting CMS. The same goes for Denver, if you want Denver to be your home point you can request Denver to be your home point.
7. If you are called to report to any other location other than your “home point” (Denver/Phippsburg), say you were called to report to Grand Junction or Pueblo, you would have five days to report to that assignment. Only if you opted to “stay at home”, not exhausting your seniority in the hub prior to going furlough.
8. Remember, if CMS calls you in the middle of the night to come back to work you don’t have to take the call, you will not lose any guarantee. If you do take the call please ask them to place you on an extra board or on a job assignment. This will establish a turn on the extra board and will create a job!
Apply For Railroad Retirement Benefits
Railroad Retirement unemployment benefits are determined by benefit year. To qualify for unemployment benefits in the benefit year beginning July 1, 2015 you must have at least $3512.50 of railroad income in 2014 with no more than $1405.00 of that total coming in any one month. You must also have at least 5 months of service credits in 2014. If you work 1 start in a month, you earn a service credit for that month. If you were not employed by the railroad until 2015, you would not be eligible for benefits until July 1, 2016 with the above mentioned requirements.
If you have any questions regarding RRB unemployment benefits you can contact the Railroad Retirement Board at https://secure.rrb.gov/ or by calling toll free: (877) 772-5772.
Find Out About Health Insurance
UPREHS handles insurance for YOU, not your dependents.
The following information is for the members only and includes only health insurance information.
It does not include dental or vision insurance coverage.
Health insurance will continue for three months following the last month you paid premiums.
Example: Your last working start was February 27, 2015, you would be insured through May 2015.
You can purchase COBRA insurance through UPREHS which would be the same health coverage you had while working after your three months expire. The coverage is $100.00 per month for an additional 6 months beyond the three months after you are furloughed. The $100.00 per month coverage cannot exceed the number of months you paid premiums to UPREHS.
Example: You worked for four months before being furloughed. You would be eligible for three months of coverage following the last month of your last start. You are also eligible to purchase four additional months of coverage at the $100.00 per month rate.
At the end of your determined $100.00 per month eligibility you may purchase coverage at a rate of $540.67 per month if you have under 12 months of total service.
If you have over 12 months of total service, you may purchase coverage for $100.00 per month for 6 months following 3 months after your last month of your last start. Coverage can then be purchased for an additional 6 months at $175.00 per month. Coverage can then be purchased at $467.76 per month.
Once you are furloughed, UPREHS will send you a packet in the mail with information about purchasing coverage specific to you. If you do not receive your packet or have any questions, UPREHS can be contacted at http://www.uprehs.com/homepage.shtml or by calling Toll-Free: (800) 547-0421.
Dependent Health Insurance
Dependent Health Insurance will continue for 4 months after the last month in which the employee provided the required service to the Railroad. After the 4 months, employees can continue their dependent's insurance under COBRA
Rates, as of March 1, 2009 are: For Spouse - $558.28 per Month for 14 Months For All Children $358.18 per Month for 14 Months
Employees can choose to insure only the spouse, all children, or both. The cost for both, per month, is $916.46 (If you work in a craft that insures the Employee in UHC/BCBS or Aetna and not UPREHS, then the charge for the EMPLOYEE would be another $558.28 per month for that 14-month period).
Dental and Vision
Dental and Vision would have to be extended, through COBRA, after the 4th month after a month in which the employee qualified for insurance. Dental for the employee and spouse is $29.18 each per month. All children can be added for $49.37. Vision for the employee and spouse is $5.04 each per month. All children can be added for $1.11.
Example: A single employee who has been furloughed for 10 months wishes to continue with the insurance he/she had when working. The cost would be $175 a month for UPRHES plus $29.18 for Dental and $5.04 for Vision, for a total of $209.22. Dental and Vision coverage would have to be purchased through United Health Care. Add a Spouse for $558.29, $29.18 and $5.04 for $592.51. Add 4 kids for $358.18, $49.37 and $1.11 for $408.56. Total Insurance for a Family of 4, would be $1310.29, using this scenario.
Stay Up to Date With the Carrier
Make sure you login to the UPRR website at http://www.up.com/forms/site_filter.shtml at least once every 30 days to keep your login information active within the UPRR system You never know when you will need to login to obtain information. You should also keep your phone numbers and address up to date with the carrier by updating them through CMTS.
Stay Up to Date with the Union
Always keep your phone, email and address up to date with SMART Local 202 by clicking here.
See If You Qualified for Vacation Before Getting Furloughed
Login to CMTS and select Timekeeping>Employee Stats>Vacation Stats. If you have over 24,000 annual miles, you have qualified for vacation and should be paid out for as many weeks as you have qualified.
