Independent Transfers

Answers to Your Questions About Retirement

If an employee transfers independently (without an official call via the General Conference) to the North American Division, how can he/she become eligible for retirement benefits from this plan? (Z 25)

A transferee who was employed in the North American Division before January 1, 1978 may be eligible for retirement benefits from the North American Division, based on the total service in all divisions provided that they earn 10 full years service credit in the NAD and if they did not have more than 30 years service credit at the time they transferred to the North American Division.

A transferee who was employed in the NAD between January 1, 1978 and December 31, 1987 and who entered denominational employment in North America after their fifty-fifth birthday is not eligible to earn North American division service credit prior to January 1, 1988 even though he/she served in another division. The North American Division will pay benefits on North American Division service credit only.

A transferee who was employed in the NAD between January 1, 1978 and December 31, 1987 and who entered denominational employment in North America after their fifty-fifth birthday is not eligible to earn North American Division service credit prior to January 1, 1988 even though he/she served in another division. The North American Division will pay benefits on North American Division service credit only.

A transferee who was employed in the NAD after December 31, 1991 is only eligible for NAD vested service credit actually earned as an employee of a NAD participating employer. Upon retirement, benefits will be paid by each plan in which the employee was vested.

Effective January 1, 2005, independently transferred employees will be eligible for full NAD service credit for service earned prior to the transfer if they meet the following eligibility:

The employee has worked for at least ten full years for a NAD participating employer by December 31, 2014.
The independent transfer occurred prior to 1/1/200.
The employee was an employee of a participating organization on 12/31/1999.