STIIP Administrator's Instructions
Eligibility for Coverage


•	Participating Employers
•	Eligible Employees
•	Auxiliary Employees
•	Leave of Absence
•	Suspension without Pay
•	Termination of Coverage

Participating Employers

All ministries and organizations of the Government of the Province of BC covered by the Public Service Act and all Crown Agencies branches and commissions who participate in STIIP.

Eligible Employees

a) Regular Employees

A regular employee is eligible for benefits under STIIP as part of their terms and conditions of employment. The STIIP benefit is available in three stages as follows:

Stage 1 – applies to regular employees with less than three months employment.

Stage 2 - applies to regular employees with three but less than six months active employment.

Stage 3 - applies to regular employees with at least six months of active employment. This stage is referred to as the Basic STIIP benefit.

Note 1: Periods of absence do not count in establishing the period of active employment for Stage 3.

Note 2: Refer to (c) Status Transfer if the employee was auxiliary immediately prior to becoming regular.

b) Auxiliary Employees

An auxiliary employee may be entitled to benefits under STIIP. See Auxiliary Employees for more information.

c) Status Transfer

1. Auxiliary to Regular

· If an auxiliary employee qualified for a weekly indemnity benefit immediately prior to obtaining regular status, the employee is eligible for benefits under Stage 2 of STIIP. Refer to Employees with 3-6 months.

· If an auxiliary employee qualified for benefits, under the provisions of their collective agreements or terms and conditions of employment immediately prior to obtaining regular status, the employee is eligible for benefits under Stage 3 of STIIP. Refer to Employees with 6 months.

· Many auxiliary employees will not qualify for STIIP benefits under their Master Agreement prior to obtaining regular status. These employees will be eligible for benefits no later than the first day of the month following the month in which they would have been eligible had they remained in their auxiliary positions. This is providing that the regular position obtained is in the same ministry.

· If an auxiliary employee who has not qualified for Weekly Indemnity or the eligibility requirements for benefits provisions of their Master Agreement becomes a regular employee, the employee will be eligible for STIIP benefits under the three stages outlined in Regular Employees above.

2. Regular to Auxiliary

STIIP coverage ceases immediately when a regular employee becomes an auxiliary employee.

Note: Under special circumstances Nurses may retain eligibility - refer to Article 29.13(c) of the Nurses Master Agreement. If you are unsure if an employee is eligible for STIIP benefits please contact Disability Management Programs.

Leave of Absence

STIIP benefits are not paid when an employee is on any leave of absence without pay

Notwithstanding (a) above, where leave of absence without pay has been approved for:

educational leave;
maternity leave, parental leave, or adoption leave;
general leave of absence not exceeding 30 days

STIIP benefits are not paid during the period of the leave of absence; however, if the employee is unable to return to work on the scheduled date, due to illness or injury, residual benefits may be paid from the date the employee was scheduled to return to work. The following applies:

Prior to the scheduled date of return, medical certification (ST02 or equivalent) must be provided to substantiate the illness or injury.
The evidence provided in (1) above should clearly indicate the date the illness commenced or the date the injury occurred.
The six month STIIP period commences the date the illness or injury occurred, as certified by the employee's doctor - NOT the scheduled return to work date. Once approved, STIIP benefits are payable from the scheduled return to work date for up to the balance of the 6/7 month STIIP period.
Employees absent due to illness or injury prior to commencing the leave of absence and unable to return to work on the scheduled date are considered to still be within the original 6/7 month STIIP period.

General Leave of Absence Exceeding 30 Days

STIIP benefits are not payable during the leave of absence.
STIIP benefits are not payable if an employee is unable to return to work on the scheduled date.
If LTD premiums were paid in advance to cover the leave period, an employee may be eligible for LTD benefits after six months from commencement of the illness/injury.

Example:

Employee on general leave February 1 to June 30
ST02 states illness commenced May 20
Employee is unable to return to work July 1
Six month STIIP period is May 20 to November 19
Seven month STIIP period is May 20 to December 19
STIIP benefits are NOT payable during the leave, however, they may be payable for absences (illness/injury) following the return from the approved leave up to the end of the six/seven months period.
If the employee maintained LTD premiums, LTD would apply from November 20/December 20 (for seven month period).

Maternity Leave
(Applicable to employees appointed under the Public Service Act).

A pregnant employee is required to begin maternity leave six weeks prior to the expected date of delivery unless the employee provides written approval from her doctor to defer this leave. Should the employee be at work after this six week period begins, and illness or injury occurs, the first determination to be made is if the illness or injury is unrelated or related to the pregnancy. If unrelated, STIIP can be paid. Generally,

STIIP benefits can be paid if the employee returns to work prior to commencement of the Maternity Leave if it is unrelated to the pregnancy.

the employee immediately commences Maternity Leave.

Note: If an employee is in receipt of STIIP benefits she must commence Maternity Leave six weeks prior to the due date. STIIP benefits cannot be paid beyond the six-week date if the employee receives STIIP benefits up to that time.

Suspension without Pay

STIIP benefits are not paid when an employee is on a suspension without pay. Advise Disability Management Programs immediately if an LTO3 Employer Benefit Statement has been submitted prior to advice of suspension.

Termination of Coverage

An employee ceases to be covered by STIIP on the earliest of:

the date on which employment with the Employer ceases;
the date on which an employee changes from regular status to auxiliary status;
the effective date of the resignation of an employee.
the date on which an employee commences paid absence prior to retirement;
the date on which an employee commences any leave of absence without pay.

Example: An employee informs the Employer in writing that services will be withdrawn as of a specific date in the future. Coverage continues to that date and benefits may be paid to that date.

Cessation of active employment as a regular employee shall be considered termination of employment, except when an employee is on authorized leave of absence with pay or is receiving STIIP benefits.

STIIP Administrator's Instructions Eligibility for Coverage