August 29, 2024
It is the position of the OSSTF ELHT that employers will report all eligible member’s FTE on a semester basis. If an eligible permanent contract member has selected health and/or dental coverage and their FTE work schedule is different in each semester the member required monthly premiums they pay in each semester will also be different.
For example, if a 0.5 FTE permanent contract teacher has all their assigned duties in one semester with no duties in the other, they are still eligible to participate in the OSSTF Benefit Plans for the entire school year. If the member has selected health and/or dental benefits, then during the semester they are working they would be reported as working 1.0 FTE and they would pay 6% of the health and/or dental premium costs. During the semester they are not working but remain in their 0.5 FTE permanent contract position they would be reported as working 0.0 FTE and will receive an FTE decrease event from OTIP via email where the member could elect to either continue or suspend their health and/or dental benefits. The member would be required to make this election within 31 days of receiving of receiving the email from OTIP. If the member elected to continue participation in the health and/or dental benefits, they would be required to pay 100% of the health and/or dental premium costs. If the member chooses to suspend health and/or dental benefits, then no premiums are required. In this case, as long as the member returns to active duties for the next semester, they would receive a new enrolment event to allow for reinstatement of health and/or dental benefits provided the member completes the election within 31 days of receiving the enrolment event. If the member is unable to return to active duties, then their health and dental benefits would remain suspended.
It is also important to note that if after receiving the new enrolment event the member misses the 31-day deadline then their benefits would remain suspended, and the member would need to be actively at work and experience a new Life/Work event to be eligible for a new enrolment event. A Life/Work event includes a increase in FTE, a newly eligible dependent, a loss of spousal coverage, etc.
Similarly, if a 0.5 FTE permanent contract teacher works 0.333 FTE in one semester followed by 0.667 FTE in the next semester, then during the semester they are working 0.333 FTE if they select health and/or dental coverage they would be responsible for paying 66.7% + 6% of the premium costs. If they choose not to participate in the health and or dental benefits during this semester then no premiums are required. In this case at the beginning of the next semester when their FTE increases to where they are now working 0.667 FTE, they would receive a new enrolment event from OTIP via email where they could now elect to participate in health and or dental benefits and pay 33.3% + 6% of the health and/or dental premium costs. The member would again be required to make this election within 31 days of receiving the email from OTIP.
For eligible Permanent contract members to continue health and/or dental benefit coverage over the entire benefit year, the member required premiums will also apply during the summer months.
Unless the member retires or resigns prior to the end of the school year, eligibility and member required premiums for the summer months will be based on the permanent contract member’s semester FTE status on the last day of the school year.
The information in this document is provided by OSSTF Benefits for general information only. OSSTF Benefits endeavours to have all information current and accurate. We make no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, about the completeness, accuracy, reliability, or suitability of the information included. All information is subject to change without notice.
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