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10. APPEALS PROCEDURE

If you disagree with any decision of the Administration Office, Plan Legal Counsel, or any other agent or employee of the Administration Office or the Plan, you may make an appeal by notice in writing to the Board of Trustees. Your written notice of appeal should describe the substance of your grievance. Your notice of appeal must be delivered no later than sixty (60) days after you first knew, or should have known, of the circumstances you are appealing. Upon receipt of your notice, the Administration Office will place the matter on the agenda of the next meeting of the Board of Trustees, or if there is not time, on the agenda of the next meeting thereafter. You will be notified in writing of the time and place of the meeting and may appear there, with or without legal counsel as you wish, and present any testimony or other evidence, written or oral, that you may have affecting your claim. The Board of Trustees' final ruling on any matter of Plan interpretation or administration is final and binding on all parties.

Claims and appeals for Disability Retirement benefits filed on or after January 1, 2002 are governed by the "Special Claims and Appeals Procedures for Disability Retirement Benefits," set out in Section XXI, subsection 7 of the Formal Plan Text.