Tramping... traveling... storm work. No matter what you call it, working out of jurisdiction can wreak havoc on your benefits unless you've taken the right steps to get your benefit funds sent back to their proper home. The IBEW established the reciprocity program back in the 1980's for those members who are employed by contractors and who must travel out of their home jurisdictions to work. And starting in 2003, the IBEW instituted the Electronic Reciprocal Transfer System ("ERTS" for short) to facilitate the transfer of benefit funds for IBEW members who work away from their home jurisdictions.

ERTS Registration Forms

> ERTS Outside Construction 
> Cable/Telephone
> Line Clearance

Frequently Asked Questions

• How do I know if I'm registered?
  Contact Breanna at the Union Hall at (708)449-9004 to find out - she can look you up in the ERTS system to see.
  
  
• How do I get registered?
  If you need to get registered, the fastest way is to stop in at any participating IBEW hall. Don't let anyone tell you that you have to register at your home local: it's just not true, and it's against IBEW rules for participating locals to refuse to register IBEW members!
  
  
• What's involved with the registration process?
  It's a five minute process, that's it! Your personal information and home fund designations are entered into the ERTS system, which is accessible nationwide by participating locals. When you register, the office that registers you will have you sign a registration form which states that you agree to the rules regarding reciprocity. They will also give you a printout of your Login and Password so that you can maintain your ERTS record yourself going forward - don't leave the hall without this printout!
  
  
• I can't get to a hall - what are my options? 
  You cannot register by phone, so your only other option is to register via mail. Open and print the appropriate paper registration form by clicking the links above.  Complete the form and mail it along with a copy of your driver's license or other form of identification to the Union Hall as soon as possible. We will register you in ERTS and mail your Login and Password to you.
  
  
• I'm registered in ERTS. Now what?
  Whenever you travel out of your home local in the future, be sure to advise the hall of the local you've traveled to that you are working in their jurisdiction and that you're registered in the ERTS system. The local you've traveled to will look up your ERTS record and make sure your benefit funds are reciprocated to your home funds.  Be certain to keep ERTS updated with your current mailing address.
  
  
• I worked out of jurisdiction already and I know I'm not in ERTS. What should I do?
  Get yourself registered in ERTS ASAP (see the second bullet point above). Once you are registered, contact the Fringe Benefit Office and the staff will do what they can to retrieve your funds from the local you traveled to. There is no guarantee that your hours can be retrieved, because your true effective date for reciprocity is the date that you sign up in the ERTS system.
  
  
• I lost my Login and Password - what should I do?
  If you have misplaced your password, contact Breanna at the Union Hall. Passwords are reissued by the International Office in Washington DC at the local's request, and they are mailed by the International Office to the member's address as it shows up in the ERTS system. Ask Breanna to verify your address in ERTS and to correct it if necessary before requesting the Password reissue, so that your Login and Password find you via the US Mail.
  
  
• I work for a utility or a municipality - can I reciprocate funds?
  Probably not, but if you, say, take time off from your regular job to work for a contractor (for instance, for storm work like hurricanes) read on to be certain. If you ever worked in the past for a Local 9 contractor and have funds in the Local 9 pensions, you can reciprocate your "traveling" funds back to the Local 9 funds you are established in. In addition, if you have been eligible under the Line Clearance or Outside Contractors Health and Welfare funds at any time during the past 6 years, you can reciprocate your "traveling" funds back to Local 9. What you cannot do is reciprocate pension or welfare funds from a contractor to a pension or insurance program run by a utility or a municipality, or vice versa.
  
  

Remember, there are two important steps to ensure painless, proper reciprocity of your benefits:

1. Register in ERTS before you travel, and
2. Advise the other local when you arrive there that you are indeed registered in ERTS.

Please contact the Fringe Benefits office (708.449.9004) if you have any questions regarding the IBEW Reciprocity Program.