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Going on a leave?

November 30, 2021

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If you are going on a leave, here are things you need to know and do to update your OSSTF Benefits coverage.

Type of leave What it means to you
Statutory leaves
(e.g. maternity/paternal leave)
Your current benefits coverage and funding will be available to you based on the same arrangements as when you were actively at work prior to the leave.

Eligible Long-Term Occasional (LTO) Teachers and Long-Term Assignment (LTA) Education Workers are eligible for continued coverage and funding for the duration of their assignment or the end of the statutory leave, whichever comes first.

Pre-authorized debits will be required for premium payments.

Long term disability (LTD) If you are on an approved LTD claim, your current benefits coverage and funding will be based on the same arrangements as when you were actively at work prior to the leave. If the approved LTD claim continues beyond 24 months, benefits may be continued on a 100% member paid basis.

You may be eligible for a waiver of life insurance premium.

Pre-authorized debits will be required for premium payments.

Non-statutory leaves
(e.g. unpaid full/part-time leave, deferred leave, extended parental leave, unpaid sick leave and personal leave)
While on an approved full-time unpaid non-statutory leave, you will be responsible for paying 100% of the monthly premium for benefits that you wish to maintain during the leave (e.g. Health, Dental, Basic Life and Basic Accidental Death and Dismemberment (AD&D) coverage). Premiums for members on a part-time leave are pro-rated.

If you are responsible for some or all the benefit costs, you will receive a communication from OTIP to complete your benefit selections within 3-4 weeks of the start of your leave. Premium deductions will be retroactive to the first day of the leave if you elect to maintain benefits.

Pre-authorized debits will be required for premium payments.

 

Your benefit costs

If you are on an approved non-statutory full-time leave  If you are on an approved non-statutory part-time leave

 

 
Benefit costs include your Health, Dental, Basic Life*, Accidental Death and Dismemberment (AD&D)* and Optional Life coverage (if applicable).

*Basic Life and AD&D

Benefit costs will be based on your pre-leave salary/coverage.

For example:
Your salary = $50,000
Coverage = 2X salary
Therefore, benefit costs are based on $100,000.

You pay for:

Health and Dental

  • If your FTE = 0.667, you pay 33% +6% of the monthly benefit costs
  • If your FTE = 0.333, you pay 67% + 6% of the monthly benefit costs

Basic Life and AD&D
Coverage and benefit costs will be based on your pre-leave salary/coverage. (e.g., 2X salary)

Optional life (Member, Spousal, Child)

  • Benefit costs are 100% member paid for active members and members on leave
 
Once OTIP is notified of the change in your employment status by your school board, the following will occur:

  • On the first day of your leave, benefits coverage will be suspended. If your board does not report until after your leave begins, coverage will be suspended retroactive to the start date of the leave.
  • You will receive a communication to instruct you to elect to continue or suspend your benefits coverage during your leave. You will have 31 days, from the date of the communication, to complete your selections, or your coverage will remain suspended until you return to work.
  • When you make your benefit selections, your monthly costs (before taxes) will be displayed beside each benefit. There is also a window that displays the combined total monthly costs (including sales tax) that will update as you change your coverage selections. To help you complete your selections, visit otip.com/loginhelp for step-by-step instructions with pictures and tips.
  • If you are going on a full-time or part-time leave your banking information is required to pay for your coverage. Once you have added this information, your elected benefits coverage will be reinstated retroactively to the beginning of your leave. This can take 3-5 business days before it is updated to your OTIP secure account. If eligible claims were declined while your coverage was suspended, you can contact OTIP Benefits Services at 1-866-783-6847. OTIP will arrange for the claims to be resubmitted for assessment.
  • Premium deductions from your banking account and will occur on the 10th (or next business day) of each month. (NOTE: Your first deduction may include retroactive premiums, depending on the timing of when the leave information was received and processed.)

 

Important notes:

  • Depending on when your leave information is submitted by your board to OTIP, it may take up to 3-4weeks to process the changes and for the communication to be sent to you
  • You have the option to continue all or just some of your benefits during your leave. For example, you can continue Basic Life and AD&D only, or just Health or Dental benefits. Exception: During a statutory leave or a part-time leave, Basic Life and AD&D are mandatory benefits and funded by your ELHT benefits plan. As a result, these benefits cannot be suspended during your leave.
  • If you choose to stop your benefits coverage during your leave, you will be not able to reinstate the terminated benefits until you return to work.
  • Before you go on leave, consider changing your preferred email addressto get the most up-to-date information about your benefits coverage and plan from your OSSTF Benefits, OTIP and the insurer.

Return to work

When you return to work, you will receive an email from OTIP within 3-4 weeks of your return. You will have 31 days from the date of the email to confirm your coverage without medical evidence. If you do not complete the actions listed in the email, coverage will be reinstated to the level of coverage you had prior to leave.

NOTE: Your first deduction may include retroactive premiums, depending on when your work status information was received and processed.

Questions? Contact OTIP Benefits Services at 1-866-783-6847 or visit the Frequently Asked Questions at www.osstfbenefits.ca.


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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