Disabled Employees If an employee becomes disabled with the result that he is unable to carry out the regular functions of his position, the Hospital may establish a special classification and salary with the hope of providing an opportunity of continued employment.
Long-Term Disability (Employee Paid Plans)
a) All permanent Teachers shall participate in the long term disability plan (LTD Plan) as a condition of employment, subject to the terms of the LTD plan.
b) The Board shall cooperate in the administration of the LTD Plan. It is understood that administration means that the Board will co-operate with the enrolment and deduction of premiums and provide available necessary data to the insurer, upon request. The Board will remit premiums collected to the carrier on behalf of the Teachers.
c) Where the plan administrator implements changes in the terms and conditions of the LTD Plan or the selection of an insurance carrier, the Board shall, for administrative purposes, be advised of changes at least thirty (30) days prior to the date the changes are to be implemented.
Special Maternity Allowance for Totally Disabled Employees (a) An employee who:
(i) fails to satisfy the eligibility requirement specified in subparagraph 17.02(a)(ii) solely because a concurrent entitlement to benefits under the Disability Insurance (DI) Plan, the Long term Disability (LTD) Insurance portion of the Public Service Management Insurance Plan (PSMIP) or the Government Employees Compensation Act prevents her from receiving Employment Insurance or Québec Parental Insurance Plan maternity benefits, and
(ii) has satisfied all of the other eligibility criteria specified in paragraph 17.02(a), other than those specified in sections (A) and (B) of subparagraph 17.02(a)(iii), shall be paid, in respect of each week of maternity allowance not received for the reason described in subparagraph (i), the difference between ninety-three per cent (93%) of her weekly rate of pay and the gross amount of her weekly disability benefit under the DI Plan, the LTD Plan or via the Government Employees Compensation Act.
(b) An employee shall be paid an allowance under this clause and under clause 17.02 for a combined period of no more than the number of weeks during which she would have been eligible for maternity benefits under the Employment Insurance or Québec Parental Insurance Plan had she not been disqualified from Employment Insurance or Québec Parental Insurance maternity benefits for the reasons described in subparagraph (a)(i).
SICK LEAVE AND LONG-TERM DISABILITY (Articles 12.01 to 12.11 apply to full-time nurses only)
12.01 The Hospital will assume total responsibility for providing and funding a short-term sick leave plan at least equivalent to that described in the 1980 Hospitals of Ontario Disability Income Plan brochure. Effective January 1, 2006, new hires will be covered under the 1992 Hospitals of Ontario Disability Income Plan. The Hospital will pay 75% of the billed premium towards coverage of eligible employees under the long-term disability portion of the Plan (HOODIP or an equivalent plan). The employee will pay the balance of the billed premium through payroll deduction. For the purpose of transfer to the short-term portion of the disability program, employees on the payroll as of the effective date of the transfer with three (3) months or more of service shall be deemed to have three (3) months of service. For the purpose of transfer to the long-term portion of the disability program, employees on the active payroll as of the effective date of the transfer with one (1) year or more of service shall be deemed to have one (1) year of service.
12.02 Effective the first of the month following the transfer, all existing sick leave plans in the Participating Hospitals shall be terminated and any provisions relating to such plans shall be null and void under the respective Collective Agreements except as to those provisions relating to payout of unused sick leave benefits which are specifically dealt with hereinafter.
12.03 Existing sick leave credits for each employee shall be converted to a sick leave bank to the credit of the employee. The sick leave bank shall contain the unused sick leave days to the credit of the nurse on the effective date of the transfer to the Plan set out in Article 12.01. The "sick leave bank" shall be utilized to:
(a) Supplement payment for sick leave days under the new plan which would otherwise be at less than full wages, and;
(b) Where a payout provision existed under the former sick leave plan in the Collective Agreement, payout shall be made on the termination of employment, or in the case of death, to the nurse's estate. The parties may agree to voluntarily cash out existing sick leave banks. The amount of the payout shall be a cash settlement at the nurse's then current salary rate for any unused sick credits to the maximum provided under the sick leave plan in which the nurse participated as of October 23, 1981;
(c) Where, as of the effective date of transfer, an employee does not have the required service to qualify for payout on termination, her or his existing sick leave credits as of that date shall nevertheless be converted to a sick leave bank in accordance with the foregoing and the nurse shall be entitled to the same cash out provisions as set out in paragraph (b) above providing the nurse subsequently achieves the necessary service to qualify for payout under the conditions of the sick leave plan in which she or he participated as of October 23, 1981;
(d) Where a payout provision existed under the former sick leave plan in the Collective Agreement, a nurse who, as of the date of this award, has accumulated sick leave credits and is prevented from working for the Hospital on account of an occupational illness or accident that is recognized by The Workplace Safety and Insurance Board as compensable within the meaning of the Workplace and Safety Insurance Act, the Hospital, on application from the nurse, will supplement the award made by The Workplace Safety and Insurance Board for loss of wages to the nurse by such amount that the award of The Workplace Safety and Insurance Board for loss of wages, together with the supplementation of the Hospital, will equal one hundred per cent (100%) of the nurse's net earnings to the limit of the nurse's accumulated sick leave credits. Nurses may utilize such sick leave credits while awaiting approval of a claim for WSIB benefits.
12.04 When a nurse has completed any portion of her or his regularly scheduled tour prior to going on sick leave benefits or WSIB benefits, the nurse shall be paid for the balance of the tour at her or his regular straight time hourly rate. This provision will not disentitle the nurse to a lieu day under Article 15.05 if she or he otherwise qualifies.
12.05 Any dispute which may arise concerning a nurse's entitlement to short-term or long- term benefits under HOODIP or an equivalent plan may be subject to grievance and arbitration under the provisions of this Agreement. The Union agrees that it will encourage a nurse to utilize the carrier’s medical appeals process, if any, to resolve disputes.
12.06 Nurses presently employed who are covered by a long-term disability plan in effect as of the date of this award, may elect to be covered by HOODIP or to continue their present coverage.
12.07 The Hospital further agrees to pay employees an amount equal to any loss of benefits under HOODIP for the first two days of the fourth and subsequent period of absence in any calendar year.
12.08 The Hospital will notify each nurse of the amount of unused sick leave in her or his bank annually.
12.09 For nurses whose regular hours of work are other than the standard work day, the short-term sick leave plan will provide payment for the number of hours of absence according to the scheduled tour to a total of 562.5 hours. All other provisions of the existing plan shall apply mutatis mutandis.
12.10 Absences due to pregnancy related illness shall be considered as sick leave under the sick leave plan.
12.11 A nurse who is absent from work as a result of an illness or injury sustained at work and who has been awaiting approval of a claim for WSIB benefits for a period longer than one complete tour or more may apply to the Hospital for payment equivalent to the lesser of the benefit the nurse would receive from WSIB if the nurse's claim was approved, or the benefit to which the nurse would be entitled under the short-term sick portion of the disability income plan (HOODIP or equivalent plan). Payment will be provided only if the nurse provides evidence of disability satisfactory to the Hospital and a written undertaking satisfactory to the Hospital that any payments will be refunded to the Hospital following final determination of the claim by The Workplace Safety and Insurance Board. If the claim for WSIB benefits is not approved, the monies paid as an advance will be applied towards the benefits to which the nurse would be entitled under the short-term portion of the disability income plan. Any payment under this provision will continue for a maximum of fifteen (15) weeks. (Articles 12.12, 12.13 and 12.14 apply to both full-time and part-time nurses)
12.12 Nurses returning to work from an illness or injury compensable from the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board will be assigned light work as necessary, if available.
12.13 A nurse who transfers from full-time to part-time may elect to retain her or his accumulated sick leave credits to be utilized during part-time or subsequent full-time employment as provided under the sick leave plan in which the nurse participates as of October 23, 1981.
12.14 If the Employer requires the employee to obtain a medical certificate, the employer shall pay the full cost of obtaining the certificate.
Short Term Disability Benefits The Board shall provide short-term disability benefits as set forth in the short term disability summary plan description.
1. Rate of Benefits and Waiting Period Short term disability benefits for disabilities resulting from non-occupational illness or injury, shall be paid at the rate of 70% of the employee’s regular rate subject to all applicable deductions. Following the exhaustion of temporary leave, there is a five (5) day waiting period before short term disability benefits begin. The five (5) day waiting period will be waived for absences greater than thirty (30) consecutive calendar days and short term disability payments shall be paid retroactively. (See also Temporary Leave.)
Long Term Disability Benefits A benefit level of seventy percent (70%) of monthly earnings shall apply. Benefits would commence after a waiting period of seventeen (17) weeks, when Short Term Disability Benefits terminate. Terms of the Master Policy with the Insurance Company shall apply. In order to go on LTD, the person must:
(a) Be off work for seventeen (17) consecutive weeks with the same or unrelated illness or injury.
(b) Be off work for a total of seventeen (17) weeks with the same illness or injury providing that the return to work was less than twenty (20) consecutive days.
Special Parental Allowance for Totally Disabled Employees (a) An employee who:
(i) fails to satisfy the eligibility requirement specified in subparagraph 17.05(a)(ii) solely because a concurrent entitlement to benefits under the Disability Insurance (DI) Plan, the Long-term Disability (LTD) Insurance portion of the Public Service Management Insurance Plan (PSMIP) or via the Government Employees Compensation Act prevents the employee from receiving Employment Insurance or Québec Parental Insurance Plan benefits, and
(ii) has satisfied all of the other eligibility criteria specified in paragraph 17.05(a), other than those specified in sections (A) and (B) of subparagraph 17.05(a)(iii), shall be paid, in respect of each week of benefits under the parental allowance not received for the reason described in subparagraph (i), the difference between ninety-three per cent (93%) of the employee's rate of pay and the gross amount of his or her weekly disability benefit under the DI Plan, the LTD Plan or via the Government Employees Compensation Act.
(b) An employee shall be paid an allowance under this clause and under clause 17.05 for a combined period of no more than the number of weeks during which the employee would have been eligible for parental, paternity or adoption benefits under the Employment Insurance or Québec Parental Insurance Plan, had the employee not been disqualified from Employment Insurance or Québec Parental Insurance Plan benefits for the reasons described in subparagraph (a)(i).
Probation for Newly Hired Employees (a) The Employer may reject a probationary employee for just cause. A rejection during probation shall not be considered a dismissal for the purpose of Article 11.2
Termination for Disability (a) If EXECUTIVE shall become disabled as defined in the BANK's then current disability plan (or, if no such plan is then in effect, if EXECUTIVE is permanently and totally disabled within the meaning of Section 22(e)(3) of the Code as determined by a physician designated by the Board), the BANK may terminate EXECUTIVE's employment for "Disability."
(b) Upon EXECUTIVE's termination of employment for Disability, the BANK will pay EXECUTIVE, as disability pay, a bi-weekly payment equal to three-quarters (3/4) of EXECUTIVE's bi-weekly rate of Base Salary on the effective date of such termination. These disability payments shall commence on the effective date of EXECUTIVE's termination and will end on the earlier of (i) the date EXECUTIVE returns to the full-time employment of the BANK in the same capacity as he was employed prior to his termination for Disability and pursuant to an employment agreement between EXECUTIVE and the BANK; (ii) EXECUTIVE's full-time employment by another employer; (iii) EXECUTIVE attaining the age of sixty-five (65); or (iv) EXECUTIVE's death; or (v) the expiration of the term of this Agreement. The disability pay shall be reduced by the amount, if any, paid to EXECUTIVE under any plan of the BANK providing disability benefits to EXECUTIVE.
(c) The BANK will cause to be continued life, medical, dental and disability coverage substantially identical to the coverage maintained by the BANK for EXECUTIVE prior to his termination for Disability. This coverage and payments shall cease upon the earlier of (i) the date EXECUTIVE returns to the full-time employment of the BANK, in the same capacity as he was employed prior to his termination for Disability and pursuant to an employment agreement between EXECUTIVE and the BANK; (ii) EXECUTIVE's full-time employment by another employer; (iii) EXECUTIVE's attaining the age of sixty-five (65); (iv) EXECUTIVE's death; or (v) the expiration of the term of this Agreement.
(d) Notwithstanding the foregoing, there will be no reduction in the compensation otherwise payable to EXECUTIVE during any period during which EXECUTIVE is incapable of performing his duties hereunder by reason of temporary disability.
Long Term Disability Plan (i) The Employer and the Union shall participate in the Long Term Disability Plan provided under the joint GVLRA/CUPE LTD Trust, or its successor trust when applicable, pursuant to the Trust Agreement executed by Trustees representing the Union and the Greater Victoria Labour Relations Association on behalf of the Employer effective January 1, 1987, which Trust Agreement may be amended from time to time by the Trustees.
(ii) All regular employees shall participate in this LTD Plan as a condition of continued employment. The required contributions for this coverage shall be as determined and amended from time to time by the Trustees and shall be shared equally by each employee through payroll deduction and the Employer (50% each), provided that in no event shall the total cost of such coverage exceed three percent (3%) of the total payroll for basic CUPE wages. Should the current benefits prove impossible to maintain for this three percent (3%) maximum in accordance with accepted actuarial accounting methods, the benefits shall be amended by the Trustees so that the three percent (3%) total cost is maintained.
(iii) The terms and conditions of this LTD Plan shall be as determined and amended from time to time by the Trustees, but in no event shall these benefits provide for other than the following, provided such benefits can be maintained for the total cost of three percent (3%) of payroll.
(a) A benefit level of seventy percent (70%) of the disabled employee's regular monthly earnings in effect on the date of disability, reduced by certain amounts received by and payable to the employee from other sources during the period of disability.
(b) A definition of disability which permits an employee to become eligible for benefits when completely unable to engage in his/her normal occupation for the first twenty-four (24) months of disability; and thereafter, when he/she is unable to engage in any occupation or employment for which he/she is reasonably qualified or may reasonably become qualified.
(c) A seventeen (17) week qualification period from the date of disability during which no benefit is payable under the Plan.
(iv) All claims for LTD coverage shall be adjudicated and administered by a carrier selected for such purposes by the Trustees. The terms of the Trust Agreement and Plan Documents as applicable shall apply to all matters not specifically addressed in this Article. Should a conflict arise between this Article and any of the above documents, this Article shall always apply.
(v) Notwithstanding anything in this Article, the Employer and the Union recognize that eligibility for and entitlement to long term disability benefits shall be as set out in the Plan document.
(vi) An employee must make application for long term disability benefits while on an extended sick leave and prior to the completion of the qualification period and that if the employee is accepted for long term disability benefits that the employee shall commence long term disability upon completion of the qualification period.
