Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act

USERRA provides protections to qualified military service members. Periods of qualified military service will count for vesting and benefit accrual purposes. If the plan is a contributory plan, the service member is required to make up his or her employee contributions as a condition for the qualified military service to count for vesting and benefit accrual. In addition to USERRA, covered employees may also have protection under state law. For additional information please review the USERRA Facts Sheet.

Prior Military Service Credit

An employer may choose to treat military service, not otherwise covered under USERRA, as credited service under the plan. Please see Section 13B of the Adoption Agreement for more information on whether and what type(s) of military service is creditable.

Prior Governmental Service Credit

An employer may choose to treat certain prior governmental service as credited service under the plan. Please see Section 13C of the Adoption Agreement for more information on whether and what type(s) of prior governmental service is creditable. Prior governmental service is treated separately from portability service which is discussed below.

Credited Service for Unused Paid Time Off

An employer may choose to treat accumulated days of unused paid time off, for which the participant is not otherwise paid, as credited service under the plan. Please see Section 13D of the Adoption Agreement for more information on whether and what type(s) of unused paid time off is credible.

Portability Service

If an eligible regular employee terminates service with one GMEBS employer, after accruing at least one year of service, and the employee goes on to work for another GMEBS employer, the employee’s service with the first GMEBS employer will count towards vesting and benefit eligibility purposes with the new GMEBS employer. Likewise, the employee’s service with the new GMEBS employer will count towards vesting and benefit eligibility purposes with the first GMEBS employer. Please see the contributory plans section of this handbook for portability rules that apply to contributory plans.