Long Term Disability Benefit In the event an employee, while covered under this Plan, becomes totally disabled as a result of an accident or a sickness, then, after the employee has been totally disabled for seven (7) months, including periods approved in Sections 1.3(a) and (c), they shall be eligible to receive a monthly benefit as follows: (a) while the employee has a time bank balance to be used on a day-for-day basis, full monthly earnings will continue until the time bank is exhausted, and Section 2.6 will not apply; (b) effective March 1, 2001, when an employee has no time bank, or after it is exhausted, the employee shall receive a monthly benefit equal to the sum of: (1) seventy-five percent (75%) of monthly earnings; (2) annual cost-of-living adjustment of the benefit equal to the consumer price index to a maximum of two percent (2%); (3) for the purpose of the above, earnings shall mean basic monthly earnings of the employee's classification. The date of disability for determining the commencement of the first two (2) years of disability shall be the day following the last month of the short-term plan period, or an equivalent seven (7) month period. (c) The long-term disability benefit payment will be made as long as an employee remains totally disabled in accordance with Section 2.3, and will cease on the date the employee recovers, or at the end of the month in which the employee reaches age sixty-five (65), or resigns or dies, whichever occurs first. (d) An employee in receipt of long-term disability benefits will be considered an employee for purposes of pension and will continue to be covered by group life, extended health, dental and medical plans. Employees will not be covered by any other portion of a collective agreement but will retain the right of access to rehabilitative employment as per Clause 12.1 and will retain seniority rights should they return to employment within six (6) months following cessation of benefits. (e) When an employee is in receipt of the benefit described in (b) above, contributions required for benefit plans in (d) above and contributions for pension plan will be waived by the Employer. (f) An employee engaged in rehabilitative employment with the Employer and who is receiving partial long-term disability benefit payments will have contributions required for benefit plans in (d) above and contributions for pension waived by the Employer, except that pension contributions shall be deducted from any salary received from the Employer to cover the period of rehabilitative employment.