On January 1, 2024, the UNITE HERE Northwest Pension Trust, along with four other west coast UNITE HERE pension funds (Southern Nevada, Sacramento, San Francisco and San Diego), merged into the Western UNITE HERE and Employers Pension Fund (the “Western Pension Fund”).

Any benefits participants earned in any of the merging plans before the merger did not change. Also, all service in the areas covered by the merging plans will apply towards the vesting rules for entitlement to a benefit under the Western Pension Fund.

The Western Pension Fund is better positioned to weather economic downturns and financial crises because the Fund covers a broader, more geographically diverse contribution base of employees in the gaming, hospitality, restaurant and food-service industries. The merger also has resulted in administrative efficiencies and improved investment opportunities.

Overview

The purpose of the Western Pension Fund is to provide you with a source of regular income when you retire. The plan sends retirees a monthly check (called a pension) starting at retirement, typically age 65, and lasting until death. You can download a copy of the Pension Summary Plan Description [PDF] for details on the Pension Plan.

Who to contact

Your Pension Plan is administered by Northwest Administrators. If you have questions about the plan, including participation, vesting, or anything else related to your pension benefit, call the Trust Administration Office at (844) 411-0786.

Participation

Your plan participation date is the first day of the month in which your employer makes or owes contributions to the plan on your behalf, with the following exception: If your participation ends but you later return to participation, your participation date is the date when employer contributions on your behalf resume, unless your credited service for your prior period of participation is reinstated as described under “Return to Participation.” If it is reinstated, your participation date is the same as before your employment ended.

Vesting

You must be vested to receive a monthly pension from the plan when you retire. To become vested, you must have completed at least five years of service including at least one year of credited future service or, at age 65 have reached your fifth anniversary of plan participation, earning at least 400 hours of service during the current plan year.

How your pension grows

Each month your employer contributes to the Western Pension Fund on your behalf. The amount of the contribution is based on the number of hours you worked multiplied by your hourly contribution rate.

At the end of the year, the plan determines the number of hours you worked during the last 12 months. If you work 400 or more hours during the year, you will receive an increase to your monthly pension amount for that year; if you work less than 400 hours, your pension will not grow that year.

Download the current Pension Summary Plan Description [PDF] for details on the Pension Plan.

Other Pension Plan features

  • If you are married, you will receive slightly smaller monthly pension payments so that if you die before your spouse, your spouse will receive your monthly pension (or a portion of your monthly pension) for the rest of his/her life. You can choose whether the payments that would continue to your spouse will be 50%, 66-2/3%, or 100% of the payment you receive.
  • If you have 10 years of service, you can retire early and start getting your monthly pension between the ages of 55 and 64. However, if you do, the monthly pension amount you receive will be smaller than if you retire at age 65 because your pension must be stretched out over a longer period.
  • If you die after you become vested, but before you begin receiving your monthly pension, the plan will pay a death benefit to your beneficiary.
  • If you become disabled and cannot work while you are a plan participant but after you become vested, you might qualify for a disability pension from the plan.