Does any know of a coworker who was bridged after being terminated by RIF or other? I was terminated by RIF in January 2017. I was terminated less that 24 months (8 months after severance) from early retirement at age 64 instead of 66. I requested HR to bridge me and they sent me an email stating they would and to let them know when I got 90 days from retirement and HR would bridge me. So, I let HR know last week that I was retiring in 90 days and asked them to bridge me the 8 months. HR answered that their email granting me the bridging was a mistake and the HRBP (Honeywell Retirement Benefit Plan) states 55 (not 64) as early retirement so I was denied the bridging. I read thru the HRBP and it states the earliest you can retire is 55 but I do not see anywhere where it defines early retirement as 55. In fact, it states normal retirement is 66 so why is 64 not early. So I am trying to find out if others were bridge after 55 or better yet anyone who was 62+ and was bridged to 64. I need this data as legal proof that Honeywell has bridged others older than 55. Please help me. Thanks.
Honeywell policy states:
Q18: Will any special pension benefits be given to an employee who is close to retirement when terminated?
A18: For those employees who elected to remain in the Honeywell Retirement Benefit Plan (“HRBP”) during pension choice, the HRBP will be amended to provide an unpaid bridge leave if an employee is close to retirement when their employment is terminated. More specifically, if an employee chose to remain in the HRBP and is within either 24 months of an early retirement pension or 36 months of an 85 point early or normal retirement pension at the end of their severance period, he or she will be eligible for an unpaid bridge leave to reach the applicable milestone. This leave will be without pay, but the employee will receive vesting and credited service under the HRBP during the leave. The bridge leave continues until such time as the employee reaches the applicable early or normal retirement milestone or elects to commence their pension benefit.
It should be noted that neither the new pension bridging under the HRBP, nor the pension enhancement provisions of the legacy Honeywell Severance Plans, apply to employees who participate in the Honeywell Retirement Earnings Plan.