BCGEU Okanagan

If you are an active BCGEU Okanagan employee working beyond your Normal Retirement Date (your Normal Retirement Date is the last day of the month you turn age 65), please click on the following scenario that applies to you.

• Benefits Past Your Normal Retirement Date
• Benefits Past Age 71

Note: effective Jan. 1, 2008, British Columbia revised the Human Rights Code to eliminate mandatory retirement at age 65. View the Letter of Agreement between the University and BCGEU Okanagan regarding the elimination of  mandatory retirement for all BCGEU Okanagan staff.

Benefits Past Your Normal Retirement Date

Your Benefits Post Normal Retirement Date (NRD) will depend on whether or not you access your UBC Staff Pension Plan. Electing the Canada Pension Plan benefit does not affect your benefits.

1. If you choose to continue to work past your NRD and do not access any of your UBC Staff Pension Plan, your benefits coverage will continue in a modified form (see below). Your modified benefits coverage will continue until you access your UBC Staff Pension Plan, either voluntarily or as of age 71, when pension must begin in accordance with the Income Tax Act. If, at any time you elect to access your UBC Staff Pension Plan, please refer to point 2 below.

Group Benefits

• Medical Services Plan: Your coverage will continue in accordance with the terms of the Plan.
• Extended Health, Dental Care, Employee and Family Assistance Program: Your coverage will continue in accordance with the terms of the Plans.
• Income Replacement Plan (Long-term Disability): Coverage ends.
• Basic Life*: Your coverage is reduced from 2 times annual basic earnings to 1 times annual basic earnings.
• Optional Life, Optional Accidental Death and Dismemberment (AD&D) – Staff Member: Your coverage will continue in accordance with the terms of the Plan.
• Optional Life – Spouse of Staff Member*: Coverage ends.

*Group Life Conversion: You may choose to convert the difference between your Basic Group Life coverage amount from 2 times to 1 times annual basic earnings and/or your Spousal Optional Life Insurance coverage to an individual plan with Sun Life, without submitting medical evidence of insurability, within 31 days following your Normal Retirement Date. The maximum amount convertible is $200,000 for your individual Basic Group Life coverage and if applicable, $200,000 for your Spousal Optional Life Insurance coverage. Individual life insurance products are available from a number of insurance companies, including UBC’s provider, Sun Life. The advantage of choosing a product with Sun Life is that you will not be required to submit medical information as part of your application. For more information on Sun Life’s individual insurance products called my CHOICE, click here or call Sun Life directly at 1-877-893-9893.

Group Pension Plan: Your UBC Staff Pension Plan remains in place in accordance with the terms of the Plan and applicable legislation.

Sick Leave: There will be no change to the terms and conditions pertaining to short-term sick leave as provided for in the BCGEU Collective Agreement.

Unpaid Leave: If you are unable to perform your duties because of illness or injury and have exhausted your short-term sick leave entitlement, you may take an unpaid leave of absence. During your unpaid leave of absence, you will continue to have the option to maintain some or all of your benefits (including pension) at your own cost.

The following two exceptions apply:

• Basic Group Life and Optional Life Insurance coverage may be maintained for up to 24 months only (maintenance of this coverage is extendable only with the approval of the carrier)
• Extended Health Out-of-Province/Country coverage reduces to 60 days from the date you leave your home province (previously 365 days)

Personal and Professional Development Benefits: The Tuition Fee Waiver is available. Please note that BC residents who are citizens or permanent residents of Canada aged 65 and older can register directly with Student Services for courses with full waivers for application, tuition and student fees; such individuals do not need to request a tuition fee waiver.

2. If you choose to continue to work past your NRD, and, at any time before you turn age 71, elect to access any of your UBC Staff Pension Plan, you will no longer be eligible for UBC benefits and your group benefits coverage will end (see below). Even though you may elect to access your UBC Staff Pension Plan before it becomes mandatory to do so at age 71, the same rules apply as if you had elected your UBC Staff Pension Plan at age 71.

Group Benefits: Coverage ends for all group benefits (with the exception of the Income Replacement Plan and Spousal Optional Life which ended post NRD) at the end of the month prior to the date you elected to access your UBC Staff Pension Plan.

Group Life Conversion: You may choose to convert your Basic and Optional Life coverage to an individual plan with Sun Life, without submitting medical evidence of insurability, within 31 days following your coverage ending. The maximum amount convertible is $200,000 for your individual Group Life coverage. Individual life insurance products are available from a number of insurance companies, including UBC’s provider, Sun Life. The advantage of choosing a product with Sun Life is that you will not be required to submit medical information as part of your application. For more information on Sun Life’s individual insurance products called my CHOICE, click here or call Sun Life directly at 1-877-893-9893.

Retirement and Survivor Benefits Program: You are eligible to join the University’s Retirement and Survivor Benefits Program. Optional retirement benefits (Extended Health, Dental Care, Employee and Family Assistance Program and Medical Services Plan) are available, at your own cost, if you apply before your active benefits cease. Click here for more information or call HR Benefits at 604.822-4580.

Group Pension Plan: Pension contributions made by you and the University will end and you will begin receiving benefits under the UBC Staff Pension Plan in accordance with the terms of the Plan and applicable legislation.

Sick Leave: There will be no change to the terms and conditions pertaining to short-term sick leave as provided for in the BCGEU Collective Agreement.

Unpaid Leave: If you are unable to perform your duties because of illness or injury and have exhausted your short-term sick leave entitlement, you may take an unpaid leave of absence.

Personal and Professional Development Benefits: The Tuition Fee Waiver is available. Please note that BC residents who are citizens or permanent residents of Canada aged 65 and older can register directly with Student Services for courses with full waivers for application, tuition and student fees; such individuals do not need to request a tuition fee waiver.

Benefits Past Age 71

Group Benefits: Coverage ends for all group benefits (with the exception of the Income Replacement Plan and Spousal Optional Life which ended post Normal Retirement Date) at the end of the month you turn age 71.

Group Life Conversion: You may choose to convert your Basic and Optional Life coverage to an individual plan with Sun Life, without submitting medical evidence of insurability, within 31 days following your coverage ending. The maximum amount convertible is $200,000 for your individual Group Life coverage. Individual life insurance products are available from a number of insurance companies, including UBC’s provider, Sun Life. The advantage of choosing a product with Sun Life is that you will not be required to submit medical information as part of your application. For more information on Sun Life’s individual insurance products called my CHOICE, click here or call Sun Life directly at 1-877-893-9893.

Retirement and Survivor Benefits Program: You are eligible to join the University’s Retirement and Survivor Benefits Program. Optional retirement benefits (Extended Health, Dental Care, Employee and Family Assistance Program and Medical Services Plan) are available, at your own cost, if you apply before your active benefits cease. Click here for more information or call HR Benefits at 604.822-4580.

Group Pension Plan: Pension contributions made by you and the University will end and you will begin receiving benefits under the UBC Staff Pension Plan in accordance with the terms of the Plan and applicable legislation.

Sick Leave: There will be no change to the terms and conditions pertaining to short-term sick leave as provided for in the BCGEU Collective Agreement.

Unpaid Leave: If you are unable to perform your duties because of illness or injury and have exhausted your short-term sick leave entitlement, you may take an unpaid leave of absence.

Personal and Professional Development Benefits: The Tuition Fee Waiver is available. Please note that BC residents who are citizens or permanent residents of Canada aged 65 and older can register directly with Student Services for courses with full waivers for application, tuition and student fees; such individuals do not need to request a tuition fee waiver.