Excluded Employees Continuation of Benefits Coverage while on Leave Life Insurance, Long Term Disability (LTD), Health and Dental, Pension This document is intended to serve as a summary of your benefits coverage during a Leave of Absence. If there are any discrepancies between this document and the General Civil Service Regulations and the Master Contracts with the Insurance providers, the Regulations and Benefit contracts will prevail. Personal / Military / Education Leave without Pay Premium Payment Requirements LEAVES WITHOUT PAY Long Term Disability Insurance, Health and Dental and Group Life Insurance You are required to provide payment for your portion of Long Term Disability, Health and Dental coverage, and Group Life Insurance (Basic and Optional) premiums for the entire duration of your leave. This payment must be made before the commencement of your leave, and is payable in a lump sum, by post-dated cheques, money order or payroll deduction. These benefits will cease effective the start date of your leave should you fail to make the required premium payments. Should your benefits cease during your leave, your Health and Dental coverage and Basic Life Insurance will be reinstated when your return to work and resume making premium payments. Please note, if you wish to re-enroll in Optional Life when you return to work, you will be required to submit an application and be medically approved by the insurer. Acceptance is not guaranteed. In addition, should your Long Term Disability Insurance cease during your unpaid leave, upon your return to work your coverage will be reinstated and will be subject to any existing limitation on coverage as defined in the provider s contract. If, during your leave, you are employed by another employer who requires participation in the NSPS Long Term Disability plan, you will not be required to make duplicate premium payments. You must provide confirmation of the alternate coverage. If, during your leave, you are employed by another employer who requires participation in another Long Term Disability plan, you may opt out of the NSPS Long Term Disability plan by providing confirmation of the alternate coverage.
Pension You may, at your discretion, choose to continue to pay your portion of pension premiums for the full or partial duration of your leave. Payment must be made in a lump sum, by post-dated cheques, money order or payroll deduction. If payment is not received, participation in the Pension Plan will cease for the time period for which payment has not been received. At a later date, and subject to eligibility and Pension Plan rules, you may be eligible to buy back your pension for the period of time that your participation in the Pension Plan ceased. Please contact the Nova Scotia Pension Services Corporation at (902) 424-5070 regarding your options to buy back your pensionable service. What to Expect When You Request a Leave without Pay Once the Public Service Commission (PSC) Benefits Unit receives notice of your leave, the Benefits Team will provide you with a statement that will detail the bi-weekly amount you are responsible to pay for your benefits. You are required to submit full payment for your benefit premiums for the entire duration of your leave in advance of the start date of your leave. You may also submit payment for your Pension contribution. See below. If your leave begins and payment of premiums has not been received by the Benefits Unit for Long Term Disability, Health and Dental coverage, Group Life Insurance (Basic and Optional) and Pension contribution, these benefits will cease effective the start date of your leave. If your benefits are terminated due to non-payment, you will receive a letter from the Benefits Unit stating your benefits have been terminated. This correspondence will allow you 14 days from the date of the letter to submit payment in full and have your benefits reinstated. If full payment is received within 14 days from the date of the letter, your benefits will be reinstated with no lapse in coverage and will not be subject to the conditions noted above. If no payment is received your benefits will remain terminated for the duration of your leave and will be reinstated upon your return to work, with the exception of Optional Life Insurance. The additional 28 days of Health and Dental Coverage which is added when an employee s coverage is terminated will not be added to the termination date of your Health and Dental Coverage because you have chosen not to pay for these premiums. The amount owing for benefit premiums during your leave can be paid in a lump sum, post-dated
Pregnancy / Parental/ Adoption Leave While on Pregnancy (Maternity) Leave and receiving the Pregnancy Leave Allowance (top-up), your benefit premiums will be deducted from the Pregnancy Allowance Pay. You are required to submit payment of premiums for the Parental/Adoption without Pay portion of your leave. Your Parental Leave begins when your Pregnancy Leave Allowance expires and you are no longer receiving a pay from the employer. Payments are required in full in and in advance of your Parental Leave: Long Term Disability Insurance, Health, Dental Coverage and Group Life Insurance You are required to provide payment for your portion of Long Term Disability, Health and Dental coverage, and Group Life Insurance (Basic and Optional) premiums for the entire duration of your leave. This payment must be made before the commencement of your leave, and is payable in a lump sum, by post-dated cheques, money order or payroll deduction. These benefits will cease effective the start date of your leave should you fail to make the required premium payments. Should your benefits cease during your leave, your Health and Dental coverage and Basic Life Insurance will be reinstated when your return to work and resume making premium payments. Please note, if you wish to re-enroll in Optional Life when you return to work, you will be required to submit an application and be medically approved by the insurer. Acceptance is not guaranteed. In addition, should your Long Term Disability Insurance cease during your unpaid leave, upon your return to work your coverage will be reinstated and will be subject to any existing limitation on coverage as defined in the provider s contract. Pension You may, at your discretion, choose to continue to pay your portion of pension premiums for the full or partial duration of your leave. Payment must be made by post-dated cheques, money order or payroll deduction. If payment is not received, participation in the Pension Plan will cease for the time period for which payment has not been received. At a later date, and subject to eligibility and Pension Plan rules, you may be eligible to buy back your pension for the period of time that your participation in the Pension Plan ceased. Please contact the Nova Scotia Pension Services Corporation at (902) 424-5070 regarding your options to buy back your pensionable service. The amount owing for benefit premiums during your leave can be paid in a lump sum, post-dated
Leave without Pay due to Illness (In EXCESS of Short Term Illness benefit) If you are absent from work in excess of your paid Short Term Illness benefit, you are not receiving a pay, and you are not approved for Long Term Disability: You are required to submit payment of premiums for your LTD, Health and Dental and Group Life Insurance (Basic and Optional) for the duration of your Leave without Pay, and You may submit payment for your Pension contributions If payment is not received for your benefits, all benefits will be terminated for the duration of your leave. If Long Term Disability is terminated due to non-payment, upon your return to work this coverage will be reinstated and subject to any existing limitation on coverage as defined in the provider s contract. If your Health and Dental coverage, Group Life Insurance and Pension contributions are terminated due to non-payment, they will be reinstated upon your return to work, with the exception of Optional Life. If you wish to re-enroll in Optional Life when you return to work, you will be required to submit an application and be medically approved by the insurer. Acceptance is not guaranteed. The amount owing for benefit premiums during your leave can be paid in a lump sum, by post-dated Short Term Illness LEAVES WITH PAY While on an approved leave due to Short Term Illness and receiving a pay, benefit premiums are deducted from your pay cheque. If your paid Short Term Illness benefit expires and you continue to be absent from work on a Leave without Pay due to illness you become responsible for your portion of the benefit premiums. See Leave without Pay due to Illness.
Long Term Disability Claim (LTD) If you are absent from work on an approved LTD claim: Your Basic Life Insurance, and Health and Dental premiums are 100% paid by the employer, You are responsible to pay 100% of the premium for your Optional Life insurance coverage which is deducted from your LTD payment from Manulife. Please contact the Benefits Unit at (902) 424-3240 or PSCBenefitInquiries@novascotia.ca for more information regarding an application to waive your Optional Life premiums while on LTD, The Employee portion of your Pension contributions are deducted from your LTD payment from Manulife and submitted, on your behalf, to the Nova Scotia Pension Corporation. Should your LTD claim expire and you remain absent from work on a Leave without Pay and you are still considered employed by the Province of Nova Scotia, you become responsible to pay your portion of the premiums for your benefits. Failure to provide payment will result in the termination of benefits. See Personal Leave without Pay. Worker s Compensation Board (WCB) If you are injured on duty and it is determined by the Nova Scotia Worker s Compensation Board that you are unable to perform your duties, the Employer shall grant the employee injury on duty leave with pay. While on leave with pay, your Benefits Coverage remains in place and premiums are deducted from your pay by the Employer. Should your WCB claim expire and you remain absent from work on a Leave without Pay and you are still considered employed by the Province of Nova Scotia, you become responsible to pay your portion of the premiums for your benefits. Failure to provide payment will result in the termination of benefits. See Personal Leave without Pay. Deferred (or Pre-paid) Leave of Absence A percentage of your salary is deducted over pre-determined period of time while actively at work in order to create a salary while you are on leave. You are responsible to pay 100% of the premiums for your Health and Dental Coverage, Group Life Insurance (Basic and Optional), Long Term Disability and the employee portion of the Pension contribution during your deferred leave. Premiums will be deducted automatically from your deferred pay