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Benefits Page Athletic Facilities Benefits at a glance CUASA Benefits Booklet Death and Benefit Coverage Employee Assistance Program Frequently Asked Questions about Benefits Links Maternity and Parental Leave Preferred Provider for Pharmacies Professional Expense Reimbursement Remaining in Employment after age 65 Retirement and Benefits Retirement Planner on-line calculation of estimated Carleton pension Tuition Bursary Program on the HR website. Policy and Guidelines on Disability and the Duty to Accommodate from the Ontario Human Rights Commission Great West Life online access to group benefit information (Extended Health Care, Dental Plan, Long Term Disability) such as: claim forms with your plan information already filled in coverage information overview status of your latest claims 24 month review of claim history frequently asked questions Questions about Coverage:      call the Great West Life Helpline at 1-800-957-9777. Download healthcare claim forms.                 Health and Dental claim forms are also available from Human Resources, Room 507, Robertson Hall (phone 613-520-3634). Change in Your Coverage Notify the Human Resouces Benefits Assistant Lori East (ext. 8654) of any changes to your family status or beneficiary(ies), so that your coverage will reflect your wishes.                                                                         Forms to change beneficiaries Out-of-province health care is part of the Extended Health Care Plan.  Employees and retired members covered by the EHC plan have coverage for out-of-province health care. Death and Benefit Coverage If the deceased employee had coverage on the date of death, Extended Health and Dental benefits will contine for three months from the date of death, with the University paying 100% of the premiums. Extended Health and Dental coverage continues beyond three months if: the deceased employee was eligible to retire on the date of death; and, had coverage on the day immediately preceding the date of death; and, had at least five years’ service with Carleton University; and, the surviving spouse and/or dependant/s agree to cover the full cost of participation through the payment of premiums. The premiums will be based on the active employee rates for the appropriate group of the deceased employee until the survivor reaches age 65 or draws a pension from the Carleton Retirement Plan, whichever come first, at which point the rate will be the retiree rate for the group. Dental benefits at Retirement: Cease after the above three month period for all groups except CUASA.

Qualifying for maternity and parental leave under the Employment Standards Act (ESA), Human Resources Skills and Development Canada (HRSDC) and the CUASA Collective Agreement ensures that you will receive the following:

• your leave will count as time worked when calculating items such as sabbatical entitlement and credited service for the Retirement Plan although the leave is not considered in the calculation of time to tenure or confirmation;
• on returning from leave you will be placed in your former position or in a position equivalent to you former position;
• the employer will continue to pay its share of the premiums for benefit plans in which you were enrolled prior to your leave; and
• you will be entitled to the employer paid supplemental top-up to 95% of your pre-leave earnings as explained below.

Qualifying Under the Employment Standards Act (ESA)

You are eligible for maternity leave if:

• you were hired at least 13 weeks before the baby’s expected birth date.

You are eligible for parental leave if:

• you were hired at least 13 weeks before the date the leave is going to start.

Qualifying for Parental Benefits (Employment Insurance (EI) benefits)

Generally, you are eligible for Employment Insurance (EI) Benefits under the EI program if:

• your regular weekly earnings have been decreased by more than 40%; and
• you have accumulated 600 insured hours in the last 52 weeks.

Qualifying Under the CUASA Collective Agreement

Notice of Leave

For planning purposes, Article 20.7(a) of the CUASA Collective Agreement requires that a CUASA member give fifteen (15) weeks notice of the request for either maternity or parental leave and in the case of maternity leave that the notice include a certificate from qualified medical practitioner.

• If you hired less than fifteen (15) weeks from your anticipated leave start date, notice should be given as soon as you have received your appointment letter from the President.

Eligibility
An eligible CUASA member is one who holds:

• a continuing position; or
• a term position of more than one year; or
• a term position of less than one year but who has been a continuing member of the bargaining unit for one year.

General Information

Biological mothers have a choice of receiving either of the following options:

Option 1

• 12 weeks of maternity leave at 100% of salary paid by the employer, plus
• up to 5 weeks unpaid leave with benefits maintained *
• if you are approved for Employment Insurance (EI) benefits, 35 weeks of parental leave with a top-up to 95% of salary by the employer.
• Total paid leave is 47 weeks.

Option 2

• 17 weeks of maternity leave at 95% of salary, paid as follows:
  • 2 weeks at 95% of salary paid by the employer, plus
  • 15 weeks of approved Employment Insurance (EI) benefits with a top-up to 95% of salary by the employer
• if you are approved for Employment Insurance (EI) benefits, 35 weeks of parental leave with a top-up to 95% of salary by the employer.
• Total paid leave is 52 weeks.

Adoptive Parents
Provided EI approves benefits, an adoptive parent is entitled to a maximum of 37 weeks of parental leave that is topped-up by the employer to 95% of salary

• Total paid leave is 37 weeks.

Maternity/Parental Leave - Option 1

Full salary is paid for 12 weeks. Benefits and deductions continue under the normal cost sharing arrangements. Up to a 5-week leave of absence without pay, in which benefits are maintained would complete the 17 weeks of maternity leave.

The option described in the paragraph above is the only form of maternity leave available for employees who do not qualify under ESA or EI for benefits.

If you are approved for EI benefits, parental leave of 35 weeks begins immediately after the maternity leave. Human Resources (Payroll) will issue a Record of Employment (ROE) to use in making application for EI benefits through Human Resources and Skills Development Canada (HRSDC) at the end of the 12 weeks of maternity leave.

The 35 weeks of parental leave includes a 2-week waiting period which is paid by the employer at 95% of salary. The balance of parental leave is paid by EI and topped up to 95% of salary by the employer. You must be receiving EI benefits to receive the employer top-up. Proof of your EI benefit must be supplied to Human Resources (Payroll) to confirm the top-up amount.

Parental leave may be taken by either parent or shared between both parents.

Maternity/Parental Leave - Option 2

Human Resources (Payroll) will issue a ROE at the commencement of your leave to use in making application for EI benefits through HRSDC.

For the first 2 weeks of maternity leave, you will receive 95% of salary from the employer. This is your waiting period for EI benefits. The following 15 weeks of maternity leave is paid by EI and topped up to 95% of salary by the employer. You must be receiving EI benefits to receive the employer top-up. Proof of your EI benefit must be supplied to Human Resources to confirm the top-up amount. Benefits and deductions continue under normal cost sharing arrangements.

Parental leave of 35 weeks begins immediately after the 17 weeks of maternity leave. There is no additional waiting period required. Parental leave is paid by EI and topped up to 95% of salary by the employer.

Parental leave may be taken by either parent or shared between both parents.

How to Apply

• Submit a leave request in writing to your Chair/Director or your Library supervisor at least 15 weeks prior to your expected due date. Include the anticipated start date of maternity leave and your anticipated return to work date and the leave option chosen. Include a health certificate from your doctor confirming your pregnancy and your expected due date.
• Copy your leave request to your Dean/University Librarian and Human Resources.
• You will receive confirmation of your leave request from Human Resources.
• One month prior to the start of your leave, make an appointment with Human Resources by calling (613) 520-3628 or email Payroll to finalize your leave arrangements.

Interpretation of the Human Resources Policy Guide and the CUASA Collective Agreement. In the event of a discrepancy, the CUASA Collective Agreement prevails.                                                                                                                                                                                                                    Prepared by the Benefits Section, Human Resources, 21/08/2007.

• The Road to Recovery: A guidebook to living and working with cancer. Benefits Canada guide for employees providing information on cancer treatment, side effects, workplace support, disability leave, drug coverage and return-to-work strategies.
• Preferred phamacies effective May/09

Cardio Room: Open Fall/Winter - Free access to the Cardio Room (2 hours daily during the week) as follows: Monday to Friday from 8:00am – 10:00 am. A valid Carleton University Campus Card must be shown to the Cardio Room Supervisor. Cardio machines can only be booked within the prescribed times.

Squash Courts: Free access to the Squash Courts as follows: Monday to Friday from 8:00am – 11:00 am (courts must be pre-booked at the Control Centre in person or by calling 5655 and providing Campus Card number).

Tennis Courts:

Summer – the sole outdoor court will be available to the Carleton University community from May – August.
Fall/Winter – one hour of indoor tennis on one court will be made available from 12noon – 1:00 pm daily on weekdays on a first come-first served basis. A period of play is 30 minutes. To maximize the number of players, we prioritize doubles play (we cannot guarantee that the level of the assigned players will be similar). You must sign up with the program supervisor at the tennis bubble, at most 30 minutes ahead of time

Ice House: Available Fall/Winter – access to open skate times (in 07-08 Mondays and Thursdays from 12:30-1:30pm). Drop-in Hockey – Fall/Winter only, every Thursday from 11:00am – 12 noon. Free for students, faculty, staff and community members.

Fieldhouse: Available Fall/Winter – Jogging track open 6:00am – 11:00 pm Monday to Friday and 8:00am – 11:00 pm on weekends. The fields are available on a drop-in basis if not rented.

Ravens’ Nest/: Available Fall/Winter - Drop-in basketball and volleyball – in 07-08. Monday to Thursdays from 11:30am – 4:00 pm.

Norm Fenn Gymnasium: Available Fall/Winter - Drop-in badminton -in 07-08 Mondays 11:00 am – 1:00 pm and Wednesdays 3:00 pm – 4:30 pm.

Pool: all regularly scheduled pool times, year round.

The claimant must have made expenditures and received the goods and/or services purchased;

Expenditures must not constitute a taxable benefit to the claimant; they must relate directly to the claimant’s responsibilities for teaching, research and professional duties at Carleton University;

Expenditures must represent a good allocation of University resources and be reasonable in amount in the circumstances;

Appropriate original receipts or other original evidence of payment must support claims and may be retained by the University;

Expenditures will be in the general nature of:

a)    Books, journals, subscriptions, membership dues, equipment, instruments, materials, supplies or services (on the express understanding that items of a physical nature with a continuing value are being purchased on behalf of the University and remain the property of the University when the staff member leaves);
b) Tuition or other fees for professional training courses, as evidenced by the original official tax receipt;
c) Travel or local expenses related to meetings or research activities (supported by a Travel Expense Report and in accordance with general University travel rules).

On each May 1, the unspent portion of each claimant’s fund will be carried over to the next academic year provided that the total does not exceed three (3) years’ entitlement. Any excess at May 1 will be permanently removed and transferred to the CUASA Scholarship Fund. Amounts transferred to an individual’s Professional Expense Reimbursement fund from a Professional Achievement Award shall not count towards the maximum entitlement permitted to be carried forward.

Any employee who takes leave of absence without pay as in Article 20.1, of one hundred and eighty (180) days or more during the twelve (12) month period commencing May 1 and ending April 30 shall have his/her annual entitlement prorated and may only use the prorated sum.

Only one claim per claimant shall be processed in a fiscal year (May to April).

Please return the Professional Expense Reimbursement form to the Dean’s Office.

For more information contact Angela Pelly in the Finance Office (phone:   4472).

Remaining in Employment after age 65

Your Extended Health Care and Dental remain unchanged.
However, on July 1st coincident with or following your 65th birthday:

• your LTD coverage ends
• your Basic Life Insurance is reduced to 1 x salary to a maximum of $25,000
• your Optional Life Insurance is reduced by 50% to a maximum of $100,000
• your Life Insurance ceases at earlier of retirement or age 70 (Basic Life Insurance), age 71 (Optional Life Insurance)
• you may convert the balance, without evidence of insurability, to a personal policy within 31 days of reduction

If you were hired before Nov. 29, 2006 and retired with at least 5 years of service and were an active member of the benefit plans at retirement or if you were hired after Nov. 29, 2006 with at least 8 years of service and retired as an active member of the benefit plans, you and your spouse are covered by the Extended Health Care and Dental plans as are any dependents under the age of 26 with all premiums paid by the employer.

If you are not covered by the benefit plans because you are covered by your spouse's plans, you will only be eligible for the retired benefit if you elect to become an active member of the plan before you retire.

To be considered “actively at work”, you must:

• be fully capable of performing your regular duties; and
• be either:
  • actually working at the employer’s place of business or a place where the employer’s business requires you to work; or,
  • absent due to vacation, weekends, statutory holidays, shift variances or authorized leave of absence.

Employees who have at least four years of continuous service at the University shall continue as members of the Extended Health Care and Dental Plans, with the premiums shared between the retired member and the employer on the same basis as premiums are shared for active members of the bargaining unit.

Retired employees with less than four years of continuous service shall have the right to participate in the Extended Health Care and Dental Plans with the premiums paid for wholly by the retired member.

If you pre-decease your spouse after retirement, your spouse retains the benefits for his/her lifetime on the same cost sharing as existed at the time of the death of the member.
Spouses of members who die before retirement are entitled to continue as members of the benefit plans as follows:

• The employer will pay for continuation of the Extended Health Care and Dental benefits for a three month period.
  
• EHC and Dental coverage beyond three months will continue if:
  • the deceased employee was eligible to retire on the date of death, and
  • had coverage on the day immediately preceeding the date of death, and
  • had at least 5 years service with Carleton University, and
  • the surviving spouse and/or dependant/s agree to cover the cost of participation, through the payment of premiums, if required.
  • The premiums will be based on the active CUASA employee rates, until the survivor reaches Normal Retirement Date or draws a pension from the Carleton Retirement Plan, whichever comes first, at which point the rate will be the retiree rate for the group.

Delisted Health Services

The Provincial Government has delisted eye exams (for those under 65) and chiropractic services from coverage under OHIP. Carleton's Extended Health Care Plan does not cover eye exams. The EHC Plan covers the first $250 (per individual/per calendar year) of chiropractic care and this coverage now kicks in immediately (previously, the OHIP coverage had to be exhausted prior to EHC coverage).

Benefit Premium Change - Long Term Disability Plan