Eligibility

You are eligible to participate in the Legal Services Fund if you are working in covered employment and have accumulated 300-recorded hours of employment.

When Your Participation Starts

Your participation starts on the first day of the second calendar month following the month in which you accumulated 300-recorded hours of employment.  For example, if you have 300 hours as of June 1, your participation would start on August 1.

Who is covered

To be considered eligible for Legal Services Fund benefits, your dependents must also be listed as dependents under the Heath and Welfare Fund. If that is the case, your dependents (as defined below) are eligible as long as your eligibility continues and their services do not conflict with your interests. Eligible dependents include:

• A spouse, not legally separated and residing with the member.
• An unmarried child (including an adopted child, step child or foster child) under the age of 19 or, if a full-time student, under the age of 23.
• An unmarried child under the age of 30 who is totally disabled, depends on your support and lives with you.

Matters Outside of New England

The Fund will cover up to a maximum of $500 of fees for legal services outside of New England. The benefit will be paid directly to the law firm and under no circumstances will the benefit be paid to the member.

Appealing Denial of a Benefit

Within 60 days of the denial of the benefit, you must write to the Chair of the Review Committee with a copy to the Plan Administrator. Your appeal must include what your protest is and why you think the denial is wrong. 

Address: Chair of the Review Committee, Massachusetts Laborers’ Legal Services Fund, 14 New England Executive Park, Suite 100, Burlington, MA 01803.

When Your Participation Ends

When you no longer meet the eligibility requirements above or when the Trustees determine that you have engaged in conduct that warrants termination of benefits (i.e., fraudulently obtaining benefits or failing to reimburse the Fund for non-covered disbursements made on your behalf).