{"id":1879,"date":"2023-05-26T14:59:52","date_gmt":"2023-05-26T18:59:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/johnstonesbenefits.com\/clients\/ila\/?p=1879"},"modified":"2023-04-26T15:00:06","modified_gmt":"2023-04-26T19:00:06","slug":"benefits-during-leaves","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/johnstonesbenefits.com\/clients\/ila\/benefits-during-leaves\/","title":{"rendered":"Benefits During Leaves"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<style type=\"text\/css\" data-created_by=\"avia_inline_auto\" id=\"style-css-av-av_heading-2d9bbcf79d50a3601923aa8844f713a6\">\n#top .av-special-heading.av-av_heading-2d9bbcf79d50a3601923aa8844f713a6{\npadding-bottom:10px;\nfont-size:4vw;\n}\nbody .av-special-heading.av-av_heading-2d9bbcf79d50a3601923aa8844f713a6 .av-special-heading-tag .heading-char{\nfont-size:25px;\n}\n#top #wrap_all .av-special-heading.av-av_heading-2d9bbcf79d50a3601923aa8844f713a6 .av-special-heading-tag{\nfont-size:4vw;\n}\n.av-special-heading.av-av_heading-2d9bbcf79d50a3601923aa8844f713a6 .av-subheading{\nfont-size:15px;\n}\n<\/style>\n<div  class='av-special-heading av-av_heading-2d9bbcf79d50a3601923aa8844f713a6 av-special-heading-h2 blockquote modern-quote  avia-builder-el-0  el_before_av_hr  avia-builder-el-first  av-inherit-size'><h2 class='av-special-heading-tag'  itemprop=\"headline\"  >The Journal<\/h2><div class='av-subheading av-subheading_below'><p>Solid Group Plans Made Simple<\/p>\n<\/div><div class=\"special-heading-border\"><div class=\"special-heading-inner-border\"><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<div  class='hr av-av_hr-f04ef840c2b66cff6c43fead44ee8d66 hr-default  avia-builder-el-1  el_after_av_heading  el_before_av_heading '><span class='hr-inner '><span class=\"hr-inner-style\"><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n\n<style type=\"text\/css\" data-created_by=\"avia_inline_auto\" id=\"style-css-av-lgy283m8-82af85c1141fdd7e8ddd1c2f2bdbd7ee\">\n#top .av-special-heading.av-lgy283m8-82af85c1141fdd7e8ddd1c2f2bdbd7ee{\npadding-bottom:10px;\ncolor:#c4a106;\nfont-size:3vw;\n}\nbody .av-special-heading.av-lgy283m8-82af85c1141fdd7e8ddd1c2f2bdbd7ee .av-special-heading-tag .heading-char{\nfont-size:25px;\n}\n#top #wrap_all .av-special-heading.av-lgy283m8-82af85c1141fdd7e8ddd1c2f2bdbd7ee .av-special-heading-tag{\nfont-size:3vw;\n}\n.av-special-heading.av-lgy283m8-82af85c1141fdd7e8ddd1c2f2bdbd7ee .special-heading-inner-border{\nborder-color:#c4a106;\n}\n.av-special-heading.av-lgy283m8-82af85c1141fdd7e8ddd1c2f2bdbd7ee .av-subheading{\nfont-size:15px;\n}\n<\/style>\n<div  class='av-special-heading av-lgy283m8-82af85c1141fdd7e8ddd1c2f2bdbd7ee av-special-heading-h2 custom-color-heading blockquote modern-quote  avia-builder-el-2  el_after_av_hr  el_before_av_hr  av-inherit-size'><h2 class='av-special-heading-tag'  itemprop=\"headline\"  >Benefits During Leaves<\/h2><div class=\"special-heading-border\"><div class=\"special-heading-inner-border\"><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n<style type=\"text\/css\" data-created_by=\"avia_inline_auto\" id=\"style-css-av-av_hr-8ddc7023771561a08c2d1878cbb01bdc\">\n#top .hr.hr-invisible.av-av_hr-8ddc7023771561a08c2d1878cbb01bdc{\nheight:30px;\n}\n<\/style>\n<div  class='hr av-av_hr-8ddc7023771561a08c2d1878cbb01bdc hr-invisible  avia-builder-el-3  el_after_av_heading  el_before_av_one_full '><span class='hr-inner '><span class=\"hr-inner-style\"><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n\n<style type=\"text\/css\" data-created_by=\"avia_inline_auto\" id=\"style-css-av-av_one_full-7688609b370c0fc22d37f41de2668996\">\n.flex_column.av-av_one_full-7688609b370c0fc22d37f41de2668996{\nborder-radius:0px 0px 0px 0px;\n-webkit-border-radius:0px 0px 0px 0px;\n-moz-border-radius:0px 0px 0px 0px;\n}\n<\/style>\n<div class='flex_column av-av_one_full-7688609b370c0fc22d37f41de2668996 av_one_full  avia-builder-el-4  el_after_av_hr  avia-builder-el-last  first flex_column_div av-zero-column-padding '   ><section  class='av_textblock_section av-lgy28vcj-3a13d7901865d6edb26d8a7b2e6b0c57'  itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/BlogPosting\" itemprop=\"blogPost\" ><div class='avia_textblock'  itemprop=\"text\" ><p><a href=\"https:\/\/johnstonesbenefits.com\/clients\/ila\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/2023_05-Benefits-During-Leaves.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Click here to download pdf<\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Benefits Continuation Guidelines<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>What happens to group benefits coverage when an employee is absent from work on a legislated leave of absence, such as pregnancy and parental leaves, family or personal medical and compassionate care leaves, or jury duty?\u00a0 The general rule of thumb is that employment is deemed \u201ccontinuous\u201d during such leaves, and benefit entitlements continue as they would normally when the employee was actively at work.<\/p>\n<p>In Canada, seven (7) jurisdictions \u2013 federal, British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec and Nova Scotia \u2013 have specific employment legislation that requires the employer to maintain benefit coverage, including disability coverage, during a legislated leave of absence, unless the employee elects to \u201copt out\u201d of coverage that requires employee paid premiums during the leave.\u00a0 However the employer <u>must<\/u> continue all benefits that are 100% employer paid.\u00a0 In addition, the employer is required to maintain their share of the premium for the continued benefits, except in Nova Scotia where the employer can require the employee to pay both the employEE and employER share.<\/p>\n<p>In other provincial and territorial jurisdictions, there is no employment legislation in place that requires continuation of benefits during a leave of absence.<\/p>\n<p><strong>When an Employee Opts Out<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Employees can decide to \u201copt out\u201d of benefits coverage during their leave of absence, however they must make that decision at the start of their leave.\u00a0 Once the employee makes the choice as to continue or opt out of coverage, the new benefits arrangements must be maintained for the duration of the leave.<\/p>\n<p>Employers can take steps to ensure they will not be liable for any occurrence during the employee\u2019s leave that is no longer covered, such as disability or death.\u00a0 They also need to be sure that the employee fully understands their choice if they select to discontinue benefits during their leave of absence.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Disability Benefits Coverage<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>In jurisdictions where employers can choose to discontinue disability coverage, short and long term disability benefits need to be handled in the same way.\u00a0 These practices must also be consistent to how disability benefits are managed during other leaves.<\/p>\n<p>If an employee becomes disabled during a legislated leave, time can accumulate to satisfy the waiting period.\u00a0 However, disability benefit payments will not begin until the planned return to work date and the waiting period has been fully satisfied.\u00a0 If the disability commences before a planned leave of absence (such as a pregnancy leave) starts, benefits are suspended during the leave and begin again once the leave is over.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Good Processes<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Employers are encouraged to consider their administrative processes, such as:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>How will you collect premiums from the absent employees if premiums are shared?<\/li>\n<li>What happens if the absent employee does not pay their share of premiums \u2013 will you terminate coverage? How will you notify the employee?<\/li>\n<li>What if an employee does NOT want to continue benefits during their leave of absence \u2013 perhaps due to the cost of premiums?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Good Communication<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Once you\u2019ve developed your company policies and administrative processes to manage leaves of absences, clearly communicate the information to employees \u2013 it\u2019s important they understand what to expect and what to consider in choosing to continue or opt out of coverage.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Waiver Form<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>We suggest that employers have employees sign a waiver of coverage form confirming they understand the implications of discontinuing benefits.\u00a0 We can help design this form!<\/p>\n<p>Some specific points that should be included on the form that the employee is signing agreement to, when opting out of benefits:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>There is NO benefits coverage \u2013 so, for example, a death, or an illness or injury during the leave that prevents the employee from returning to work, will not be covered. In addition, benefits cannot be reinstated until an employee has returned to work.<\/li>\n<li>Once they return to work, the insurer may require the employee to re-serve a waiting period for benefits eligibility.<\/li>\n<li>Pre-existing conditions may re-commence and could limit coverage or delay the effective date of coverage.<\/li>\n<li>If the employee is opting out of benefits during their leave because their spouse\u2019s plan has coverage, this coverage is limited to health and dental benefits only \u2013 not life insurance or disability insurance.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1879","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-news"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.4 - 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