DIPP trustees announce benefit improvements

The trustees of the SMART Discipline Income Protection Program (DIPP) are pleased to announce additional improvements to the program in addition to the reduction of assessments that take effect Aug. 1.

Due to the strong health of the program and positive claims experiences reported, trustees have elected to take the measure of eliminating the graduated duration of coverage (benefit days) structure of the program that had been based on the participants active months in the plan.

This means that, beginning Aug. 1, all enrollees in DIPP, new and continuing, regardless of their period of participation (months), will receive 365-day coverage for covered incidents. It should be noted that any claims with an incident date prior to Aug. 1 will be paid out under the plan rules prior to this change.

Additionally, participants electing to increase their benefit level no longer need to wait 12 months from their last increase. Increases are now effective on the first day of the month following 90 days after the increase is received by the DIPP office.

This improvement, paired with the 25-cent reduction in assessments announced in May, is another reason why the SMART DIPP leads the way in providing value and protection to its membership and the nation’s largest rail labor union.

More information, including the SMART DIPP Summary Plan Description reflecting these changes, is available via the SMART website.

SMART DIPP Trustees are General President Michael Coleman, General Secretary-Treasurer Joseph Powell and SMART Transportation Division President Jeremy Ferguson.