Health & Dental Benefits

Benefit

Coverage

Participation

Employee/Employer Contributions

Coverage Effective

Medical Services Plan
Provides basic medical coverage.

Insures medically required services provided by physicians and supplementary health care practitioners, laboratory services and diagnostic procedures.

Optional —

You must apply for coverage.

100% employer paid.

This is a taxable benefit

Monthly rates*:

Single — $57

Couple — $102

Family — $114

*effective Jan 1, 2010

Coverage begins the first month following the date on which you become eligible for benefits or upon application, whichever is later.

Extended Health Care Plan
Provides coverage designed to partially reimburse for services not covered by the provincial MSP or Pharmacare, such as prescription drugs, paramedical services (i.e. physiotherapist, chiropractor), vision care.

Plan carrier: Pacific Blue Cross

Reimbursement at 80% of eligible expenses (with some exceptions).

The annual deductible is $65 per family.
Effective Jan 1, 2011, annual deductible is $80.

Lifetime maximum under the plan is $100,000 per person (effective April 1, 2010, lifetime maximum increases to $250,000.

Optional —

You must apply for coverage.

100% employer paid.

This is not a taxable benefit.

Regular bargaining unit employees – coverage begins 1st day of month after 6 FULL calendar months employment.

For eligible auxiliaries employees, coverage begins on the 1st of the month following the date in which you became eligible.

Coverage begins the first of the month upon attaining eligibility or upon application, whichever is the later.

Dental Plan
Covers basic dentistry, or the services that are routinely available in the office of a general practicing dentist and are necessary to restore or maintain teeth.

Plan carrier: Pacific Blue Cross

Basic Dental Services
 — 100%
Major Dental Services
 — 65%
Orthodontics — 55%
 with a lifetime maximum of $3,500 per person

Optional —

You must apply for coverage.

100% employer paid.

This is not a taxable benefit.

Same as extended health care plan.

Disability

Benefit

Coverage

Participation

Employee/Employer Contributions

Coverage Effective

Weekly Indemnity Plan

Provides a weekly income replacement benefit for a specific duration.

Up to a maximum of 15 weeks at 60% of your normal average earnings (for each period of illness)

Mandatory

100% Employer Paid

Upon accumulation of 400 hours of auxiliary service. The waiting period is 14 calendar days.

Short Term Illness and Injury (STIIP) Plan

Pays a portion of wages to protect your economic security during periods of illness or injury.

Less than three months service — 75% pay for a maximum 6 calendar days.

Less than 6, but more than 3 months — 75% pay for first 6 days and 66 2/3% for 15 weeks after.

More than 6 months service — 75% pay for 6 calendar months.

Mandatory

100% Employer Paid

No waiting period

Long Term Disability
Provides comprehensive coverage if you become disabled and unable to work due to an injury or illness.

This plan is applicable if you are absent from work due to illness or injury for more than six months.

Plan carrier: Great-West Life Assurance Company

Subject to sick bank credits, you will receive a monthly benefit equal to the sum of:

70% of first $2,300 of monthly earnings and 50% of the monthly earnings above $2,300 (unionized employees)

Mandatory

100% Employer Paid

LTD benefits payable after employee absent from work due to injury or illness for at least six months.

Life Insurance

Benefit

Coverage

Participation

Employee/Employer Contributions

Coverage Effective

Group Life Insurance
Insurance carrier: Great-West Life Assurance Company

Provides life insurance coverage. Amount of coverage is 3 times annual salary with a minimum of $80,000 of coverage.

Coverage includes:
· funeral advance;
· terminally ill advance;
· accidental
  dismemberment;
· accidental loss of
  sight;
· conversion to a
  private policy.

Mandatory

Employer pays for the first $80,000 of coverage and employee pays remainder.
Employer paid portion is a taxable benefit.
 

Cost is 17 cents per $1,000 of coverage.

Starts immediately once eligible for benefits.

Optional Spouse and Dependent Coverage
Provides life insurance in the event of a death of a spouse or dependent payable to you, as the employee. Insurance carrier: Great-West Life Assurance Company

Amount of coverage is $10,000 for a spouse, $5000 for a dependent.

Optional —

You must apply for coverage.

100% employee paid

Cost is $2.00 per month.

Coverage is effective upon receipt of application form, if you apply within the 90 day window once eligible for benefits.

Group Aviation Insurance
Insurance carrier: RBC Life Insurance Company

Provides a death or dismemberment insurance if you travel by air on the Employer’s business, including limited group travel to and from the airport.

Mandatory

100% employer paid

Starts immediately for all active employees.

Retirement & Pension

Benefit

Coverage

Participation

Employee/Employer Contributions

Coverage Effective

Retirement Allowance

Provides an eligible employee with a pro-rated payment for each completed year starting with one month’s salary at twenty years increasing to a maximum of three (3) months payment at thirty years of service.

Mandatory

100% employer paid.

Upon retirement

Canada Pension Plan

The Canada Pension Plan is designed to provide income to retired and disabled workers, and to orphans and surviving spouses of deceased contributors.

Mandatory

50/50 cost shared by employer and employee.

Public Service Pension Plan

The Public Service Pension Plan is a defined benefit pension plan that provides you with income at retirement. The amount of retirement income is based on your age, years of pensionable service, and your salary level.

Mandatory

YMPE = year's maximum pensionable earnings

As of April 2009:

Employer contribution rates are 8.63% of pensionable earnings up to YMPE and 10.28% of pensionable earnings greater than YMPE.

Employee contribution rates are 7.78% of pensionable earnings up to YMPE and 9.28% of pensionable earnings greater than YMPE.

YMPE for2010 is $47,200.

Normal retirement age — 55 years.

Other

Benefit

Coverage

Participation

Employee/Employer Contributions

Coverage Effective

Employee and Family Assistance Program (EFAP)
Offers confidential counselling services designed to assist you and your family to resolve problems that affect your personal lives and in some cases your job performance.

The assessment, counselling and/or referral service is provided at no cost to eligible employees and family members who normally reside with the employee.

Service level is determined by professional assessment of need, through a strong focus on individual assessment and goal setting.

Optional

100% Employer paid

Starts immediately for all active employees.

Savings

Benefit

Coverage

Participation

Employee/Employer Contributions

Coverage Effective

Deferred Salary Leave Program

Program carrier:
Group Retirement Services

Allows you to defer up to one-third of their salary to finance a future leave without pay.

Optional —

Approval from your supervisor is required

100% Employee paid

Contributions begin upon application.

Payroll Savings Plan (AKA Canada Payroll Savings Program)

Allows you to put a little money aside on a regular basis as part of your savings plan.

Optional

100% Employee paid 

Contributions begin upon enrolment.

Registered Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP)

Allows you to defer tax on money to be used for retirement.

Contribution limits for RRSPs are based on income and are tax deductible at the time of deposit.

Optional

100% Employee paid 

Contributions begin upon enrolment.