Union Welfare Funds

Union welfare or benefit funds are trusts established by unions to provide supplemental benefits to their members. They are funded primarily by employer contributions. Among the benefits provided by the funds include: medical, dental, and vision plans; prescription drug plans; group life insurance plans; short-term and long-term disability plans; tuition reimbursement; legal services; and more.

Fund Counsel

Our attorneys have a long history of representing and acting as Fund Counsel to active and retired employee governmental welfare funds. Timely responsiveness and our ability to resolve problems are hallmarks of our practice. We provide advice to fund trustees in fulfilling their fiduciary responsibilities and in connection with day-to-day plan implementation and administration of fund activities.

We review, prepare, and counsel regarding plan documents and other supplemental material so that the fund remains in compliance with a complex maze of ever-changing laws, rules, and regulations.

Among the type of matters we are frequently called upon to provide legal services include:

• Plan documents, including Trust Agreements and Summary Plan Descriptions (SPD)
• Application documents
• Claims and appeal procedures
• COBRA notices and procedures
• FMLA issues
• HIPAA / Privacy issues
• USERRA Compliance
• Audits
• Review of Service Provider Contracts
• ERISA issues

Legal Services Benefit Plans

Our firm also offers legal service benefit plans, through which active and retired employees may obtain the following legal services (New York State only):

• Estate Planning
• Estate Administration
• Real Estate Transactions
• Deed Transfers
• Name Change Petitions
• Document Review
• Consultation and Advice
• And more…

We customize our legal service benefit plans to meet the needs of the union or fund. Under these plans, there is often no or reduced costs to the employees, and the union or fund pays at reduced rates.

If you have questions or issues concerning your union’s welfare fund or are interested in discussing a legal services benefit plan tailored for your organization, please contact us to schedule a free consultation.