Disabled before Retirement

If you are disabled and in receipt of disability benefits from the Telecommunication Workers LTD Plan or Company LTD Plan you will be deemed service and earnings under the Pension Plan as if you were working and you will not be required to make contributions to the Plan as required by the Collective Agreement.
If you are in receipt of disability benefits from either WCB, the Telecommunication Workers Benefit Plan, Company paid sick benfits, or granted an unpaid leave of absence with your Employer due to sickness or injury the Trustees may deem a Day of Pay for each Day of Pay you are reported to be unable to work due to sickness or injury. Deeming Days of Pay is reviewed for approval by the Board

of Trustees annually.

. you will also not be permitted to make any voluntary contributions to the Plan;

. you will continue to earn pension credits based on your straight-time earnings from the date of disability, as though you had continued working,

. you cannot earn pension service and earnings beyond the date that you would qualify for an unreduced pension under the Plan.

Return to Work in Rehabilitative Employment

Required contributions to the Plan will be deducted from your pay. Subject to Trustee approval you may be deemed service and earnings for days on which your Employer has reported unpaid sick leave.

Leave of Absence other than for Disability

The continuation of Credited Service and accumulation of Plan benefits depends on the reason for the Leave of Absence.

a) Pregnancy and Child Care Leave of Absence

During a leave of absence for Pregnancy or Child Care Leave Participants will continue to earn pension benefits, provided that they continue to make employee required contributions. Members must arrange their payment of contributions (as specified by the Collective Agreement) with the Company payroll/employee benefits department prior to taking their leave of absence.

b) Leave of Absence for Political Office

During a Leave of Absence for Political Office (available to Participants who have been elected to any municipal, provincial or federal office) the Participant may elect to contribute to the Plan and earn pension credits provided that the member continues to make both the employee required contributions and their Employer required contributions and only if the Participant is not a member of another pension plan where pension benefits can be earned in respect of the period of leave of absence. All contributions are based on straight time earnings at the date the leave commenced, as though the Participant had continued working.

c) All Other Leaves of Absence Specified in the Collective Agreement

During all other leaves of absence specified in the collective agreement, you will continue to earn pension benefits provided that you make the Employee and Employers required contributions under the Purchase of Service provision (see Section 5 for more information).