Eligibility
TUFA and Exempt Academic employees whose appointment is for 17.5 hours per week or more are eligible for the employee benefits below.
Sun Life Benefits Booklets
Sun Life Exempt Academic Booklet
- Basic Life Insurance
- Optional Life Insurance
- Sick Leave
- Long Term Disability (LTD)
- Emergency Medical Travel Plan
- Maternity/Parental Leave
- Employee Assistance Plan (EAP)
- Registered Education Savings Plan (RESP)
- Tuition Waiver for TUFA Staff
- Tuition Waiver for TUFA/EXACD Dependents
- Gender Affirmation
Basic Life Insurance
The University provides Basic Life Insurance to its employees in the amount of 1.5 times their annual salary until the employee’s Normal Retirement Date (July 1st following their 65th birthday). The premium for this basic coverage is 100% paid by the University. The amount of the premium is a taxable benefit to the employee. This is a mandatory benefit.
At the Normal Retirement Date, an active employee’s basic life insurance coverage is reduced by 50% rounded to the next highest $1,000, to a maximum of $50,000. At age 70 an active employee’s basic life insurance coverage ends.
Optional Life Insurance
This life insurance option allows employees to purchase additional insurance equivalent to 1x, 2x, 3x 4x or 5x their annual salary. The rates for this coverage are based on age, sex and whether an employee is a smoker or non-smoker. The premium for this coverage is 100% paid by the employee and payment is made by payroll deduction. At normal retirement date, an active employee’s coverage for Optional Life Insurance is reduced by 50%, rounded to the next highest $1,000, if not already a multiple of $1,000, to a maximum of $100,000. At age 70, an active employee’s optional life insurance ends.
Sick Leave
In the event of absence due to sickness or injury and upon receipt of satisfactory medical documentation you will be paid your regular salary for an absence of up to a maximum of six (6) calendar months over the previous twelve (12) months. During your sick leave, you will continue to assume the cost of your benefit contributions (if any). The period of paid sick leave shall not continue beyond the end date of your appointment. This applies to any employee who holds a limited term appointment or has terminated their employment.
When you are unable to report to work because of illness or injury, your Manager/ Supervisor or Chair must be notified as soon as possible on the first day of absence. In the case of frequent absences or of an absence of more than four (4) days, medical documentation will be required. For TUFA members, an absence of more than two weeks will require medical documentation.
When an absence is prolonged (a month or more), a Functional Abilities Form will be required in order to ensure continuation of your salary. Prior to returning to work from an illness that extends beyond one month, you are required to provide your Supervisor/Manager/Chair with a doctor's note certifying that you are able to return to work on a full time basis without restriction; or, that you are able to return to work with the nature and duration of any work restrictions described. In the situation where there is a return to work where there are restrictions, a Functional Abilities Form (FAF) will also be required and an accommodation plan will need to be developed.
Long Term Disability (LTD)
In the event that you are off work due to illness or injury for a period of more than 6 months accumulated over the previous 12 months, you will need to apply for Long Term Disability Benefits with Sun Life. Four (4) months into your sick leave, a Sun Life application form will be sent to you. This must be completed and forwarded directly to Sun Life.
Should you remain on short term disability for a period of 6 months accumulated over the previous 12 months, your salary will cease after the 6 months has accumulated. At that point, if you qualify for Sun Life’s Long Term Disability benefits, you will receive a monthly check from Sun Life at the rate determined by your benefit plan.
If you are approved for Long Term Disability, you will receive 75% of your basic monthly earnings up to a maximum of $13,000 per month, reduced by any direct and indirect offsets applicable.
Payment is made until the earliest of
- The employee’s normal retirement date
- The last day of the month in which the employee retires
- The last day of the month in which the employee dies
- 2 years after the end of the employee’s limited-term appointment.
Please refer to the applicable Sun Life Benefits booklet for complete information on this benefit.
Emergency Medical Travel Plan
Trent University offers Emergency Travel Benefit Coverage to eligible employees. With these benefits, you are one phone call away from emergency medical help to see you through a crisis while away from home. You're automatically covered any time you leave the province where you live. This coverage applies for the entire duration away from your place of residence.
Your benefits give you access to the expertise of Global Excel Management. Your spouse and children can also receive travel assistance, provided they are included under your Sun Life Health Insurance plan. Be sure to carry your travel card with you when you travel.
What to do in a medical emergency:
- You, or someone with you, must call the Global Excel Management 24-hour operations centre before receiving medical care. The toll-free numbers are on the travel card. Any invasive and investigative procedures (i.e. surgery, angiogram, MRI) must be pre-authorized by Global Excel Management, except in extreme circumstances. Your claim could be reduced or declined if you don’t contact Global Excel Management. Have your contract number (50490) and member ID number (usually your employee number) ready.
- Give Global Excel Management the information on your travel card and describe the situation.
- Stay in touch with Global Excel Management throughout the emergency, until they confirm that you no longer need to do so. Please give Global Excel Management your hospital, hotel or other current telephone number.
Print or download your coverage card from mysunlife.ca or the my Sun Life mobile app, and take it with you when you travel.
Maternity/Parental Leave
Maternity Leave SUB Plan
After an employee has been employed at Trent University for one (1) year, they can file for maternity leave under this SUB plan. Under this plan, the University will pay 95% of the employee’s normal salary or wages for the first week. For the next sixteen weeks, the University will supplement the benefit paid by the Employment Insurance Commission. When combined with earnings from other sources, the total from both sources will equal 95% of the Trent base salary or wages. The recipient must produce a record of payment from the Employment Insurance Commission before the University can pay the supplement.
Parental Leave SUB Plan
After a staff member has been employed at Trent University for one (1) year, they can apply for parental leave under the SUB plan. Under this plan, all employees eligible for the maternity leave SUB plan may also extend the SUB plan for an additional ten (10) weeks as parental leave, provided the parental leave is taken immediately following maternity leave. In the case of a standard parental leave, the University will supplement EI benefits to 95% of normal salary/wages for a period of ten (10) weeks. In the case of an extended parental leave, the University will supplement EI benefits to 73% of normal salary/wages for ten (10) weeks. (In both cases, the Employer is supplementing normal EI benefits by 40% of the member’s normal salary/wages.) All remaining weeks of parental leave will be unpaid leave from the University.
Employee Assistance Plan (EAP)
All Trent employees who are currently entitled to Sun Life benefits are eligible to access this free and confidential Employee Assistance Program (EAP). Telus Health (formerly Lifeworks) is Trent University’s confidential Employee Assistance Program available to eligible employees and their dependents 24 hours a day, seven days a week, at no cost to you. From parenting concerns to health matters, work issues to financial problems, legal questions to elder care, even with buying your first home, Telus Health can help! In fact, you can turn to Telus Health for help with a wide range of questions and issues. Telus Health is not just about counselling – it’s also a way to gain access to the information and resources you need. Telus Health can help with:
Phone: 1-877-207-8833
Website: https://one.telushealth.com
Mobile App: Download for iPhone, Android or Blackberry
User ID: trentemployee
Password: eap
Registered Education Savings Plan (RESP)
Faculty and staff of Trent University have the opportunity to save for their children/grandchildren’s post-secondary education by starting an RESP through automatic payroll deductions. In our partnership with CST Consultants Inc. you can save for future educational costs by starting an RESP plan with the CST Savings. Your children can benefit from the Canada Education Savings Grant which can add 20% to your RESP up to a total potential grant of $7,200.00 per child. The Additional Canada Education Savings Grant (30-40%)and the Canada Learning Bond (potential of $2000 lifetime) may also be available by opening an RESP.
If you are interested in opening an RESP please refer to the CST Savings Brochure for more information or contact:
Ingrid Nolan
Sales Representative
C.S.T. Consultants Inc.
Toll-free: 1-866-795-9407 ext. 404
E-mail: resp@trentu.ca
Tuition Waivers/Rebates for TUFA/Exempt Academic
Tuition Waivers for dependents of TUFA/Exempt staff:
- Dependents enrolled in courses at Trent University, are eligible to have their normal undergraduate and graduate academic fees waived for up to one full program per term
- Please submit a completed and signed dependent tuition waiver form through myTrent to the Department of Human Resources a minimum of 30 days before the commencement of the course
- Ancillary fees are not waived
- Dependency shall be considered for one spouse (including common-law) and any children under 25 years of age
For further information regarding tuition waivers/rebates, please contact the Department of Human Resources.
Gender Affirmation
A fund of $5,000 annually will be available to support health services and other costs associated with gender transitioning that are not covered by Sunlife, OHIP, or any other government program, for members and their dependents. Unused funds are carried over, with the fund amount not to exceed $15,000. Please refer to the Sun Life benefit booklet for coverage information on Gender Affirmation procedures.