Benefit Reps

The Employer delegates a person responsible for all their staff members’ group benefits and pension plan. The Benefit Rep is responsible for submitting the members’ application forms and information updates and paying the Group benefits and pension premiums on time. 

Coverage Eligibility

Employees working at least 20 hours per week (or 0.5FTE for CISVA) and has a one-year contract are eligible for the group benefits and pension plan.

All eligible employees must join the group benefits. The employee or their dependents have an option to waive extended health care or dental plan, provided they have proof of coverage elsewhere.

The pension plan is optional, but once the employee joins the pension plan, they can no longer opt-out.

Workshops Schedule and Calendar

All the important dates are available on the online calendar.

The Benefits Office holds two workshops every fiscal year. The dates are available online.

The cut-off dates, deadlines, and invoice release dates are also posted on the online calendar. Please check the dates!

Application

The employee must complete and sign the following forms and return to the Benefit Representative:

  • Group Benefits and Pension Intake Form
  • RPP Application Form or RPP Waiver Form
  • Life Beneficiary Form

The employer must complete the APPLICATION FORM online and upload the above signed forms to the Benefits Office within 30 days after the employee becomes eligible for benefits and pension.

New employees are also eligible for the optional or voluntary benefits such as, Voluntary Critical Illness Coverage, Optional Life Insurance Coverage, Tax-Free Saving Account, Registered Retirement Savings Plan, and Registered Education Savings Plan.

Late Applications

Employees had an option to waive their extended health care or dental coverage provided they have coverage elsewhere. They have an option to opt in our plan afterwards if they decide to have dual coverage, but they are now considered as a late applicant.  The member needs to complete and sign the Evidence of Insurability Form for Late Applicants, return it to the Benefit Rep for submission to Benefits Office

It is up to the insurance provider to decide if the employee and their dependents will be covered under the plan. The insurance provider may decline coverage if the employee and their dependents are deemed uninsurable (have an existing medical condition and will cost the provider too much if coverage is provided).

INFORMATION AND FAQs

Information on Disability

If your staff member is away from work for seven consecutive days (including weekends and holidays) due to an illness or injury, they must apply for Short-Term Disability (STD). You can only pay the employee a maximum of five consecutive sick days.

Forms:

The employer must complete the STD EMPLOYER STATEMENT and attach a copy of the employee’s JOB DESCRIPTION. Please note that once you have submitted the scanned copy of the STD form(s), there’s no need to mail the original form(s).

NOTE: Please send it electronically via email. Do not send the original document unless requested.

Send the forms to the Benefits Administration Office (DISABILITY FORMS)

Please get in touch with our office for specific questions or concerns regarding a disability claim.

Maternity & Parental Leave Information

 

The employer must complete the STD EMPLOYER STATEMENT and attach a copy of the employee’s JOB DESCRIPTION. Upload the completed Disability forms to the Benefits Office (Disability Forms)

 

Once the employee returns to work full-time, you must provide us with the exact date they resumed work via the ONLINE CHANGE INFO FORM.

 

Please get in touch with our office with any specific questions or concerns regarding a disability claim.

 

NOTE: Please send it electronically via email. Do not send the original form unless requested.

 

Things to remember:

  • Decide if you want to take 12 months or 18 months’ leave (there are no choices in between)
  • Decide if you want to keep or waive your *Group Benefits and Pension (as per Federal Law, employees can now waive their Group Benefits while on Maternity. Employees can also choose to continue contributing to the match pension while on Maternity Leave)
  • Arrange the Maternity leave agreement with your employer/PEC
  • Request for your Record of Employment (ROE)
  • Apply for Employment Insurance (EI) Maternity and Parental Benefits**
  • Apply for Maternity STD Benefit***
  • If you are a CISVA employee, please provide your Maternity Medical report to your employer for the top-up calculation.
  • Add your baby under your plan (the latest date that you can provide this information is 31 days after your child is born)
  • Prepare post-dated cheques to cover your Group Benefits and Pension employee contribution (if you are keeping your benefits and pension)

*The Group Benefits are life insurance, AD&D, STD, LTD, Critical Illness, Extended Health, and Dental.

**Plan members can start receiving maternity benefits as early as 12 weeks prior to their due date. ** ** ** ** ** You cannot accept these benefits more than 17 weeks after your due date or the date you gave birth, whichever is later.

***Plan members can apply for STD Maternity Benefits provided the employee kept their Group Benefits while on Maternity Leave.

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GROUP BENEFITS and PENSION FORMS FOR YOUR EMPLOYEES

Employees with a one-year contract and working 20 hours per week (or 0.5 FTE FOR CISVA) must be enrolled in the Benefits.

It is not the employee’s choice whether they want to join.
  • Group Benefits ONLY:
    • GROUP BENEFITS AND PENSION INTAKE FORM – Benefit Rep MUST sign. To be uploaded with online APPLICATION FORM.”
    • ONLINE APPLICATION FORM (TO BE COMPLETED BY EMPLOYER – ONLINE SUBMISSION – DO NOT PRINT OR CONVERT THE ONLINE FORM TO PDF FOR SUBMISSION. CLICK SUBMIT AFTER COMPLETING THE FORM) AND
    • RPP WAIVER OF PARTICIPATION – Members MUST sign in ink or acceptable electronic format. To be uploaded with the online APPLICATION FORM.
    • LIFE BENEFICIARY FORM – Members MUST sign in ink or acceptable electronic format. To be uploaded with the online APPLICATION FORM.
  • Group Benefits and Pension

Notes for completing the RPP Application Form and Life Beneficiary Form:

Canada Life requires the member to sign the form in ink for legal purposes. A digital signature is only accepted if the member has physically scribbled their signature – typing the signature with the cursive font is not accepted.

    1. The Benefits Office assigns the certificate number – leave it blank.
    2. The Pension Division/subgroup is always 01 – DO NOT enter your local division number.
    3. The employee MUST sign the Intake Form.

Voluntary/optional Benefits available:

Reminder: ALL updates must be reported within 31 days from the change date. NO EXCEPTION!!!

 

EXISTING EMPLOYEE JOINING THE PENSION PLAN

Existing employees who had previously opted out of the pension plan can join. The employee MUST complete the following forms:

UPDATE EMPLOYEE INFORMATION

To update information (name, contact details, extended health and dental coverage, dependent information, salary or working hours) for:

TRANSFERRING EMPLOYMENT

For employees transferring between employers within the group, both existing and new employers need to complete the ONLINE INFO CHANGE FORM.

RPP CONTRIBUTION LEVEL UPDATE

To change RPP contribution level, or to add / update / remove voluntary pension, RRSP and/or TFSA contributions

BENEFICIARY CHANGE

Changing life and pension beneficiary/contingent beneficiary and appointing a trustee:

STUDENT RECERTIFICATION

Updating dependent children’s student status (dependent is turning 22 years old and attending full-time in-class post-secondary school):

OVERAGED DEPENDENT

For employees who have a disabled dependent, please have them complete the following:

UPDATE INVESTMENT INSTRUCTION

To change/update your investment portfolio, please complete the form below:

Employees who are away from work due to illness or injury for seven consecutive days (including weekends and holidays) MUST apply for disability benefits. The employee must complete the EMPLOYEE STATEMENT (EE STATEMENT) and have their doctor complete the ATTENDING PHYSICIAN STATEMENT (APS).

Employees can submit their completed form directly to CANADA LIFE (Langley.DMSO@canadalife.com) or the Benefits Administration Office (DISABILITY FORMS).

NOTE: Once the employee returns to work full-time, you must inform the Benefits Office via the ONLINE INFO CHANGE FORM, indicating the exact date they returned to work.  The Benefits Office will not ask for the information, and YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE TO KEEP OUR OFFICE UPDATED ON CHANGES FOR MEMBERS. Please get in touch with our office for specific questions or concerns regarding a disability claim.

All women in our system are entitled to the STD Maternity Benefit once they give birth if they keep their group benefits while on Maternity Leave. You must provide the employee with the following forms:

You must complete the STD EMPLOYER STATEMENT and attach a copy of the employee’s JOB DESCRIPTION—this MUST be submitted to the Benefits Administration Office (Disability Form). Please note that once you have submitted the scanned copy of the STD form(s), there’s no need to mail the original form(s).

 

MATERNITY MEDICAL REPORT – the medical report is for the school’s use only; do not send this form to Canada Life or our office.

 

All maternity leaves are different. Please get in touch with our office if you have any questions or concerns regarding maternity leave.

FOR CISVA, BENEFIT REPS MUST PROVIDE A COPY OF THE MATERNITY LEAVE REQUEST FORM TO THE BENEFITS OFFICE.

Retirement/Leaving Employment – Retiree Form

How to become eligible for the retiree plan:

When an employee ceases work, to be eligible to join Benefits Class 5, the Retirees Division, the employee must:

(a) formally declare their intent to retire (not just change employers) and

(b) be over the age of 55 years at the time of retirement

 

REMINDER: If your staff members have enrolled in the Voluntary Critical Illness, please inform them to contact Industrial Alliance to cancel the coverage and premium deduction.

To remove a member under your Division (transfer of employment, retirement, termination of employment or termination of benefits), complete the following:

If the member would like to convert group life insurance to a private policy, please ask the member to complete the:

  • ONLINE INFO CHANGE FORM must be submitted to our office to change their benefit class and to indicate if the employee will keep extended health and dental while they are on leave.
  • ONLINE INFO CHANGE FORM when they return to work and to reinstate their benefit class and benefits.

NOTE: Send the completed and signed form to the Benefits Office via email

 

The Welcome Plan is a temporary supplementary group plan of insurance that provides essential basic healthcare coverage for newcomers, returning Canadian residents and their families, or employees who do not have an active Provincial Health Plan. Welcome Plan benefits are available as long as the employee meets all eligibility requirements. To be eligible under the Welcome Plan, the employee must be covered under the Extended Health plan; they must legally reside in a Canadian province or territory.  They must not be eligible for coverage under a federal or provincial government health plan (i.e., MSP) because they do not satisfy the residency requirement in their province or territory of residence.

An employee who had previously waived their extended health or dental coverage and would like dual coverage (not losing the spousal coverage) will be considered a late applicant. And will have to be subjected to the approval of CANADA LIFE ASSURANCE CO.

 

NOTE:

  • Dental coverage for an approved late applicant will be limited.  Once approved, the employee and dependents have limited coverage of $250 for the first 12 months after the approval date.
  • Extended health for an approved late applicant is effective immediately after approval.  Approval for extended health coverage is not guaranteed.
  • Canada Life will approve the application based on the employee and the dependents’ medical insurability.

 

Please refer to our booklet for coverage information.

 

NOTE: Send the completed and signed form to the Benefits Office via email.  DO NOT SEND THE FORMS TO CANADA LIFE DIRECTLY.

 

Late applicants must complete the following form:

ACCIDENTAL DEATH & DISMEMBERMENT (AD&D)

Accidental Death Dismemberment (AD&D) is mandatory for all eligible CISVA employees. Accidental Death and Dismemberment (AD&D) coverage provides benefits should you be a victim of an accident that costs your life, limb, sight or hearing. On the occasion of an AD&D claim, please get in touch with the Benefits Office for the form.

CRITICAL ILLNESS (CI)

Mandatory for all eligible employees, critical illness insurance alleviates some stress due to the financial burden when an insured is diagnosed with a covered condition.  Additional documents (including an Employer claim form) need to accompany this attachment. Therefore, DO NOT forward this claim directly to the Claims Department as indicated on the claim form. Submit the completed form to the Benefits Office.

DENTAL PLAN

The Dental Care plan provides coverage for a wide range of dental services, from your regular check-ups to major procedures such as root canals and crowns. Even if your spouse or dependent children are already enrolled under your spouse plan, you may also enroll in the RCAV plan, provided the other plan allows double coverage.

DISABILITY

These benefits are available to eligible employees and provide salary replacement (wage-loss) benefits for a specified period to employees who are disabled due to injury or sickness. Once the applicable documents have been completed in full, please send them to the Benefits Office.The original copy is no longer required.

NOTE: Please attach a copy of your employee’s JOB DESCRIPTION with the Employer Statement to help Canada Life assess the employee’s ability to return to work.

EXTENDED HEALTH (for medical, paramedical and prescription drugs expenses)

Extended Health Care covers you for some charges arising from physician-recommended and medically necessary services and supplies beyond the scope of MSP. Even if you or your dependents are enrolled under your spouse’s plan, you may also enrol in the RCAV plan, provided the other insurance allows double coverage.

LIFE AND OPTIONAL LIFE INSURANCE

  • Life Claim Form CLAIMANT STATEMENT(To be completed by all designated beneficiaries)
  • Life Claim Form Employer Statement (To be completed by the Benefits Administration Office)

Mandatory for all eligible employees, Basic Group Life provides benefits to your designated beneficiary in the event of your death for whatever cause. Spouses and dependent children are not covered under this plan. Please forward this completed document directly to the Benefits Office on the occasion of a Life claim (including an Optional Life claim). There are additional documents that need to accompany this attachment. Therefore, DO NOT forward this claim directly to the Group Life Department as indicated on the claim form.

OUT-OF-COUNTRY/PROVINCE CLAIM

Submit all out-of-country claims to Canada Life using the Out-of-Country claim form. Canada Life will coordinate the payment of your claim with MSP.

For out-of-province claims, submit the claim to the provincial plan (BC MSP) first, then Canada Life.

PENSION – NOTICE OF DEATH CLAIM FORM

If an RCAV Registered Pension Plan member dies, the attached document must be completed by the beneficiary and sent directly to the Benefits Office. There are additional documents that need to accompany this attachment. Therefore, do not forward this claim directly to Canada Life Group Retirement Services as indicated at the top of the claim form. Once this step has been completed, Canada Life Group Retirement Services will contact the beneficiary to summarize available options.

WELCOME PLAN

The Welcome Plan is a temporary supplementary group plan of insurance that provides essential basic healthcare coverage for temporary, new or returning Canadian residents and their families when they do not qualify for provincial health plan coverage in their province or territory.

Welcome Plan benefits are available if the employee meets all eligibility requirements.

  • To be eligible under the Welcome Plan, the employee must be meet the following requirements:
  • Covered under the Extended Health plan
  • Must legally reside in a Canadian province or territory
  • They are not eligible for coverage under a federal or provincial government health plan (i.e., MSP) because they do not satisfy the residency requirement in their province or territory of residence.