Equip yourself for this school year by reviewing these important reminders about your benefits coverage.

As changes occur in your life and at work, it’s important to review your benefits coverage and make any updates to ensure you and/or your eligible dependants remain covered.

Here are some important ETFO ELHT benefit reminders.

Update your coverage within 31 calendar days if:

• Your family status has changed, or you have had a recent life event (e.g., birth/adoption of a child, marriage/common-law qualification/divorce, spouse loses their health and/or dental benefits coverage).
  • IMPORTANT NOTE: If you do not update your coverage (i.e. add your new dependant(s) and/or change from single to family coverage) within 31 calendar days of an eligible event, proof of good health (evidence of insurability) will be required, and you could be subject to limited coverage for the first 12 months and/or be denied coverage.

• Your work status has changed (e.g. new eligible position, change in FTE).

1. Change in FTE: If you have had a change in your working FTE (e.g. increase from 0.2 to 0.6; 0.5 to 0.8; 0.7 to 1.0, etc.) you will receive an email to change your benefits coverage (i.e. opt into Health and Dental benefits or increase from single to family coverage). This email will be sent once OTIP receives the change of FTE information from your school board/employer. It may take a few weeks to update your information in OTIP’s systems. If you do not receive an event email from OTIP within four weeks of the start date of your FTE change, please contact OTIP Benefits Services at 1-866-783-6847.
   • IMPORTANT NOTE: If you wish to update your coverage (e.g. add your new dependant(s) and/or change from single to family coverage) and do not do so within 31 calendar days of receiving the email about the FTE change, proof of good health (evidence of insurability) will be required, and you could be subject to limited coverage for the first 12 months and/or be denied coverage.

2. New eligible position: If you have started a new eligible position (e.g. new eligible LTO position or first permanent position), you will receive an email to enrol in your benefits plan. This email will be sent once OTIP receives your work status information from your school board/employer. It may take a few weeks to update your information in OTIP’s systems. If you do not receive an enrolment email from OTIP within four weeks of your start date, please contact OTIP Benefits Services at 1-866-783-6847.
   • IMPORTANT NOTE: You will have 31 calendar days from the date you receive your enrolment email from OTIP to complete your enrolment. If you do not complete your enrolment within 31 calendar days of receiving your email, you will be set up with the default coverage (if you were not already enrolled) determined by the rules laid out in your ETFO ELHT plan. The default coverage may be minimal or no coverage until you experience a life event or FTE change, or begin a new eligible position (e.g. new LTO, etc.)

OTHER IMPORTANT REMINDERS:

1. If your FTE has changed, you will have a new opportunity to enrol in Health and/or Dental benefits (if you did not enrol in them initially).
2. Long Term Occasional Teaching positions must be 90 calendar days or longer to be eligible.
3. Plan members working less than full-time/1.0 FTE who opt into benefits are responsible for paying pro-rated premiums if they wish to have Health and/or Dental coverage (e.g. 0.5 FTE would pay 50%; 0.8 FTE would pay 20%). Premiums are collected retroactive to the start date of your benefits eligibility.
4. If you opt out of Health and Dental benefits, you will still be set up with the ETFO ELHT 1x salary Basic Life Insurance and AD&D (Accidental Death & Dismemberment) coverage at no cost to you while you are actively at work in an eligible position.

If your coverage under the ETFO ELHT benefits plan is ending due to retirement, termination, or a position change:

• Coverage ends at 11:59 p.m. on the last day of your eligible position.
• You will have 90 days from the date your coverage ends to access the OTIP secure plan member site and submit any eligible claims from the previous 12 months incurred before your coverage end date.
• If you had life coverage under the ETFO ELHT benefits plan, you may be eligible to convert your group life insurance to an individual policy directly with the insurer. If you convert within 31 days of your coverage ending, evidence of good health or a medical exam will not be required.
  • Premium rates for the individual policy can be reviewed on page 2 of the Group Benefits Life Conversion Options form, available at com/forms (found under Life Insurance forms).
  • Once you have reviewed the premium rates, if you are interested in converting your group life insurance, call OTIP Benefits Services at 1-866-783-6847 to get started.

Here’s a quick guide to where you can find information and complete events when you log in to the OTIP plan member site.

Remember to keep your preferred email address up to date so you won’t miss important information about your benefits coverage and plan. Not getting OTIP’s messages? If you entered your personal email address as your preferred email address, please add OTIP to your contacts or safe senders list. This will ensure that our emails are sent to your inbox and not to your junk/spam folder.

We hope that these benefit reminders will help ensure you and your eligible dependants remain covered and informed throughout the school year.

Questions? Contact OTIP Benefits Services at 1-866-783-6847 or by email using the online form.