Worker Wellness Program

Frequently Asked Questions

Worker Wellness Program

• How do I access my money?

  Simply log in to carpentersandjoinersbenefits.com, click on “Worker Wellness Program” and fill out the online form to request a withdrawal.

• How much money do I have in the account?

  You can log in to carpentersandjoinersbenefits.com and look at your account balance any time. You can also call Wilson McShane to ask about your account balance at (844) 468-5916.

• Can I put more money into the account?

  You cannot individually put more money in your account. Allocations to the Worker Wellness Program can be increased through the local union’s yearly allocation meeting process.

• What is the Worker Wellness Program for?
  The Worker Wellness Program (WWP) is a cash benefit that is an alternative to the State of Minnesota’s Earned Sick and Safe Time statute. WWP is an account administered through the Carpenters and Joiners Health Fund. Employers contribute the negotiated hourly amount along with health, pension, and other benefits on your behalf. Money in your WWP account is then available for you to access when you are off work due to a wide variety of reasons such as being sick, having a sick family member, day care closures, and other reasons.
• Can I only use it for sick time off?
  In addition to your sickness and taking care of a sick or injured Dependent, you can use the Worker Wellness Program for doctor or dentist visits, vacations and holidays, jury duty, inability to travel to work due to inclement weather or similar condition, temporary shutdown of a project site, National Guard duty, required time off to obtain job training or to take job certification test, and other reasons.
• How is the Worker Wellness Program different than the State program? Is it better?

  The State program is built based on accruing hours as you work rather than on hourly contributions. The State program is a good program, but you cannot take those benefits from one employer to the next. The Worker Wellness Program is a better and more secure program because you keep it along with your other benefits and you won’t lose it if you change employers.

• Why do we have something different than the State program?
  We asked the Minnesota legislature to give us the ability to negotiate a better alternative to the state program. We then got to work and negotiated the Worker Wellness Program and we believe strongly that it is a better alternative than the state program.
• What do the other trades have?
  Most trades agreed to a very similar benefit with their employers, such as operators, laborers, cement finishers, bricklayers, ironworkers, and painters.
• When can I start drawing out my money?
  You can start accessing your money after the first month of contributions to your account are deposited in late June of 2024 for the work month of May 2024, so will be available for distribution in July 2024.
• What is the contribution?

  Please refer to the wage sheet you are working under to confirm. 

• Can I withdraw money while on unemployment? If so, what happens to my unemployment?

  Worker Wellness Program (WWP) money received for time periods during which you received unemployment benefits is likely reportable. You should consult the Unemployment Insurance (UI) office before receiving both UI and WWP for the same time period.

• Do I get taxed when I withdraw my money?

  Yes, withholding taxes must be deducted from your payouts.

• Can I move my money into my HRA? If so, when and how often?
  If you have money in your Worker Wellness Program (WWP) account when you retire and you elect to participate in a Carpenters and Joiners retiree health plan, your WWP will transfer into your HRA so that you can use that money to pay premiums or offset covered health care expenses.
• What happens to any money in my WWP account if I die before I retire?
  If you have dependents, your Worker Wellness Program account will be automatically transferred into your HRA account for the benefit of your dependents.
• What website do I use to access my money?

  www.carpentersandjoinersbenefits.com

• Can I withdraw money while working?
  Under some circumstances you may be able to access your money when working for qualified reasons and you can withdraw for time periods as small as an hour.
• Does my employer have approve my withdrawals?
  No. Your employer will not know when you have applied for a withdrawal. Your employer does not have to approve your request.
• How does WWP work for travelers who have a home fund somewhere other than Minnesota but are performing work in Minnesota where a WWP contribution is due?

  If your benefits are being reciprocated or home funded back to your home area funds, the Worker Wellness Program contribution will be combined with the health fund contributions and reciprocated back to your home funds.

• What if my employer isn’t participating as they should be?

  Contact your local business representative.

• What if I work for a city or the State of Minnesota or in a shop setting rather than in the field?

  Government entities (State, City, County, public schools and universities) and shops (such as cabinet shops, construction component shops, and panel shops) are participating in the state Earned Sick and Safe Time program and do not participate in the Worker Wellness Program.