As an employee in a collective bargaining unit of a contributing employer, you become a participant in the plan on the first day of your fourth month of employment. To be eligible for educational assistance benefits, you must be a participant for at least two months before the start of the school year. For example, if you began working on January 9^th, your eligibility for benefits would begin on April 1^st.

When you are eligible for educational assistance benefits, your dependents are also eligible, provided they remain a dependent for the entire school year. Your dependents are: your spouse, domestic partner (who was added to coverage on or before December 31, 2014) and unmarried children under the age of 27 (this may include a stepchild, legally adopted child or child of a domestic partner). Please note that if a child reaches age 27 during school year, they are NOT eligible.