Benefits and pension

Benefits

If you are eligible for benefits, you may enroll within the first 31 days of initial eligibility per your bargaining unit or employee grouping. We will email your Covenant Health email address when you can start enrolling. See the quick reference guide for benefit enrollment.

If you are eligible but do not select benefits within the first 31 days of eligibility, you will be enrolled in mandatory benefits and corresponding premium deductions.

After your start date, you can find your benefits options in e-People.

Supplementary health and dental coverage

If you are eligible for benefits and have eligible dependents, you must select family supplementary health and dental coverage. Eligible dependents are defined as:

• spouse: a person who is legally married to you or who is not legally married to you but has continuously resided with you for not less than 12 consecutive months
• children: your natural, adopted, stepchildren or children for whom you are the legal guardian. Children must be
  • unmarried
  • under 21 and not working more than 30 hours per week
  • less than 21 or, if 21 but less than 25, attending an accredited educational institution, college or university on a full-time basis (minimum three courses)

To be eligible, dependents must have a provincial healthcare card.

Waiving supplementary health and dental coverage

You may waive supplementary health and dental coverage if you have other group coverage through your spouse’s plan or another employer. If family premiums are not applied when applicable, a premium adjustment will be processed retroactive for up to a maximum of 12 months (late applicant process).

Flexible spending account

If you are eligible for a flexible spending account (FSA), allocate your credits to one or more of the following accounts within 31 days of becoming eligible for benefits:

• Flexible Spending Health ― Canada Account (HSA) (non-taxable)
• Personal Spending Account (taxable)
• Group Registered Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP) (taxable) under RBC account #2546
• Group Tax Free Savings Account (TFSA) (taxable) under RBC account #18271

If you do not allocate your credits within 31 days of becoming eligible for benefits, your credits will default to the HSA. You will not be able to reallocate them. See frequently asked questions about FSAs for more information. 

The TFSA option is not applicable to AUPE ― STV, CUPE 408 Medicine Hat and USW.

Group RRSP and TFSA

Employees can contribute to the voluntary Group RRSP through payroll deduction. If you have an FSA, you may allocate your flex amount to an RBC Group RRSP. For more information, see an overview of the plan options as well as the RRSP enrollment form.

Any credits allocated to the Group RRSP and/or Group TFSA will be divided into equal monthly deposits depending on the number of full months remaining in the calendar year.

You must have your Group RRSP and/or Group TFSA account(s) set up within 14 days of allocating your FSA by calling RBC at 1.888.769.2566 or visiting any RBC branch.

If you do not set up the Group RRSP and/or Group TFSA with RBC within 14 days, the credits will be rejected and redirected to the HSA. You will not be able to reallocate them.

For more information about making contributions, see frequently asked questions for RRSPs and TFSAs.

Employment transfers and terminations

If you end your employment with us or transfer to a position that is not eligible for benefits, you will lose any remaining balance in your Group RRSP and/or Group TFSA. Also, you will lose any remaining FSA credit balances (Flex Spending and Personal Spending) not spent before the last day of the calendar month in which you were eligible.

Pension

Eligible employees can take part in the Local Authorities Pension Plan (LAPP).

Mandatory participation

• Permanent employees working 30 hours or more per week on a regular basis
• Permanent part-time employees who accept a temporary position (equal to or greater than 30 hours per week)

Optional participation

• Permanent employees working 14-29 hours per week on a regular basis
• Temporary employees working 30 hours per week or more with a predetermined end date of more than 12 months

UNA savings plans

If you are UNA permanent employee, we will match contributions up to two per cent of your regular earnings to either an employer-matched Group RRSP or an employer-matched Group TFSA.

Ensure you open your Group RRSP (group plan number 2546) or your TFSA (group plan number 18271) account with RBC before you submit your RRSP or TFSA enrollment form.