FINAL REMINDER:
If you have not provided your banking information by November 30, 2022:
The attached final reminder email is being sent to affected plan members via Canada Post on November 16, 2022 and via email on November 24, 2022.
For more information about the deductions, please read the FAQs below.
**Full-time members actively at work without optional life and/or supplemental life are NOT impacted by this change.
What is the change?
As communicated to plan members on May 18, 2022 (see communication here), the ETFO ELHT is switching the way plan members pay health, dental, and optional life premiums. Effective September 1, 2022, plan members responsible for health, dental, and/or optional life premiums (any member with optional life/supplemental life and/or part-time members with health and dental) will have pre-authorized deductions (PAD) from their bank accounts instead of through payroll deduction. Full-time members actively at work without optional life and/or supplemental life are not impacted as they do not have premiums payments.
Who is affected?
All plan members responsible for health, dental, and/or life premiums (any member with optional or supplemental life and/or part-time members.). Full-time members actively at work without optional life and/or supplemental life are not impacted.
** Please note: Pre-authorized deductions (PAD) are already the practice for LTOs, permanent members on leave/partial-leave or active members working less than 0.3.
Why the change?
This change will reduce billing delays for permanent Teachers and Education Workers during their transition into and out of the plan. (e.g. new hires, returning from or beginning a leave).
How will I know if I have to add my banking information?
Action will be required by affected Teachers and Educations Workers (i.e. part-time and/or with optional life) to add their banking information by the end of August 2022, prior to the start of the 2022-2023 school year.
OTIP sent an email (view here) to affected plan members on August 19, 2022 or August 24, 25 or 26, 2022, with instructions for completing the required steps. Banking information is required to be added before September 1, 2022. If the banking information is not provided before September 1st, affected benefits will be temporarily suspended at 12:01 am on September 1, 2022 until the affected plan member adds their banking information on the OTIP secure site. Benefits will then be retroactively reinstated to September 1st and retroactive premiums will be deducted.
** Please note: OTIP sent out original reminder emails on August 24 and August 25, and have sent out regular reminders through November to any plan members who has not yet provided banking information.
What if I need support with completing the steps to add my banking information on the OTIP’s secure site?
Plan members who require support navigating the secure site should contact OTIP benefits services at 1-866-783-6847. The benefits services call centre is open Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m., except on Labour Day.
I wasn’t able to add my banking information by September 1, 2022 and my applicable benefits have been suspended. What should I do to have my suspended benefits reinstated?
Plan members who were required to provide their banking information and did not do so before September 1, 2022 can still do so. They should follow the instructions in the OTIP email. Once they have added their banking information, benefits will be reinstated retroactive to September 1st. It may take 2-3 business days for all systems to update. If the banking information was added after September 1st, please note that September’s premiums may not be deducted until October, in which case you will have a double deduction in October (i.e. for September and October premiums).
I was working 1.0/full-time last year and had no optional life insurance, so I had no premium deductions. Effective September 1st, I have reduced by FTE to part-time (e.g. 0.8) or I have begun a leave. I didn’t receive the OTIP email re: bank deductions – should I have?
When a plan member changes status (e.g. begins a leave; changes FTE), their board sends the data changes to OTIP their next data change file. This can take up to 2-3 week. Once OTIP uploads the changes, you will receive an “event” email at the email address you have on file with OTIP. Benefits will be suspended retro to September 1st at that time. If you want benefits during the leave, you will indicate in the OTIP secure site which you want to maintain and you will provide your banking info at that time. OTIP will do monthly deductions on the 10th of each month. Depending on when you receive the email and log in to make your choice if you maintain benefits, your first deduction could be October and would be a double deduction for September and October.
If you decide you do not want to pay for benefits while on leave, be sure not to submit claims incurred on or after September 1st. If you opt out, just a reminder you cannot opt back in until you return to work.
If you haven’t received your OTIP email by the last week of September, please contact OTIP at 1-866-783-6847 and let them know that you began an unpaid leave on September 1st and you have not receive info/email re: how to maintain benefits.
I was working part-time last year and was having payroll deductions for my health and dental premiums. As of September 6, 2022, I am now in a 1.0/full-time position. Do I still have to provide my banking information to OTIP even though I am not responsible for health and dental premiums as a 1.0 FTE?
When a plan member changes their FTE status (e.g. increases or decreases their FTE), their board sends the data changes to OTIP their next data change file. This can take up to 2-3 week. Once OTIP uploads the changes, a plan member in this scenario (part-time last year to full-time/1.0 this year) will not be required to pay premiums. However, if you received the OTIP email in August regarding the payroll to PAD switch, you should go ahead and provide your banking information on the OTIP secure site asap to avoid temporary suspension of your benefits. Once OTIP receives your updated FTE information from your board, any premium deductions from your bank account in September or October will be reimbursed to you. If you do not wish to provide your banking information, your benefits will be suspended temporarily on September 1, 2022. Once the updated data is received by OTIP, your benefits will be reinstated retroactive to September 1, 2022 or your first day of work.