ARTICLE 31
BENEFIT PLANS

31.01 This Article became effective on January 1, 1990.

31.02 Alberta Health Care

The Board shall pay one hundred percent (100%) of the premium cost of the Alberta Health Care Plan for each participating employee, for either single or family coverage.

31.03 Supplementary Health Care

(a) The Board shall pay one hundred percent (100%) of the premium cost of a Supplementary Health Care Plan for regular employees.

(b) The details of benefits and eligibility shall be governed by the Master Policy.

31.04 Dental Insurance

(a) The Board shall pay one hundred percent (100%) of the premium cost of a dental insurance plan for regular employees.

(b) The details of benefits and eligibility shall be governed by the Master Policy.

31.05 Basic Group Life Insurance

(a) The Board shall pay one hundred percent (100%) of the premium cost of a Basic Group Life Insurance Plan for regular employees.

(b) The amount of coverage shall be one times the employee's annual earnings, rounded up to the next highest one hundred dollars ($100), with a minimum of fifteen thousand dollars ($15,000).

(c) The details of benefits and eligibility shall be governed by the Master Policy.

31.06 Long Term Disability (LTD)

(a) The Board shall pay one hundred percent (100%) of the premium cost of a Long-term Disability Plan for regular employees.

(b) The Plan shall provide for benefits of seventy percent (70%) of the employee's pre-disability gross salary, up to a monthly maximum benefit of four thousand nine hundred and sixty-six dollars ($4,966) (taxable). It shall have an elimination period of twenty-six (26) weeks, i.e. one hundred and thirty (130) working days.

(c) While an employee is receiving LTD benefits, the Plan shall pay, on behalf of the employee, the Board's and the employee's pension contributions directly to the Public Service Pension Plan.

(d) Where the employee receives LTD benefits, the following conditions will apply regarding return to work.

(1) The employee will be returned to the same or a similar position (job title) provided s/he is medically certified as capable of performing the normal job functions of the position (job title) within a twenty-four (24) month period from the date the employee started receiving LTD benefits.

(2) Consistent with the rehabilitative employment provisions of the LTD Plan, the University will provide rehabilitative employment, wherever possible. An employee offered such rehabilitative employment shall have an obligation to accept it. Where a Department Head agrees to participate in a plan of rehabilitation for an employee, either in the employee's regular occupation or in another occupation, the department accepting such an employee who is not fully qualified shall be reimbursed for the cost of salary and benefits up to a maximum of six (6) months (LTD Plan 50% and Human Resources Development Fund 50%); thereafter the cost of salary and benefits shall be the responsibility of the department.

(3) After the twenty-four (24) month period, there will be no mandatory requirement to return the employee to any position. Such employee will not have the right to grieve dismissal under Article 36.

(e) Participating employees are eligible for coverage on the later of their date of hire or January 1, 1990. No benefit is payable for disabilities arising from a condition which existed prior to the effective date of the employee's coverage and for which s/he received treatment during the six (6) month period prior to such date. This limitation of coverage no longer applies after the employee has been actively at work and continuously covered for a period of twelve (12) consecutive months.

(f) The parties agree that recipients of long term disability insurance benefits shall receive an increase in such benefits equivalent to any negotiated general salary increase and effective on the same date as that of the general salary increase, subject to the monthly maximum of four thousand nine hundred sixty-six dollars ($4966).

31.07 Occupational Accidental Death and Dismemberment Insurance

(a) The Board shall pay one hundred percent (100%) of the premium cost of an Occupational Accidental Death and Dismemberment Insurance Plan for all employees. The amount of coverage shall be twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000) for accidental death and various percentages of that amount for dismemberment as follows:

Loss of, or permanent and total loss of use of:

Both hands 100%

Both feet 100%

Sight of both eyes 100%

One foot and sight of one eye 100%

One hand and one foot 100%

One hand and sight of one eye 100%

Speech and hearing 100%

Use of both arms 100%

Paralysis 100%

One arm or one leg 75%

One hand or one foot 66 2/3%

Sight of one eye 66 2/3%

Speech or hearing 50%

Thumb and index finger of either hand 33 1/3%

Hearing in one ear 16 2/3%

(b) The Plan under Sub-clause (a) shall cover death or dismemberment sustained by an employee while performing University business. The coverage is in effect from the time the employee arrives at work until s/he leaves work.

(c) The amount of coverage under Sub-clause (a) shall be increased to one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) where death or dismemberment is sustained by an employee who is away from his/her normal place(s) of business and is travelling on University business. Such coverage is in effect twenty-four (24) hours a day during the duration of travel.

(d) The existing Board regulations relating to reimbursement of expenses incurred while travelling on Board business shall remain in force for the duration of this Agreement.

31.08 Optional Group Life Insurance

The Board shall provide for regular employees an Optional Group Life Insurance Plan, of which one hundred percent (100%) of the premium cost shall be paid by each participating employee.

31.09 Optional Group Dependent Life Insurance

The Board shall provide for regular employees an Optional Group Dependent Life Insurance Plan, of which one hundred percent (100%) of the premium cost shall be paid by each participating employee.

31.10 Optional Accidental Death and Dismemberment Insurance

The Board shall provide for regular employees an Optional Accidental Death and Dismemberment Insurance Plan, of which one hundred percent (100%) of the premium cost shall be paid by each participating employee.

31.11 Benefits Guide and Consultation

The Board and NASA have, through negotiations, provided various benefit programs for employees. A Benefits Guide shall be published from time to time by the Board and NASA to provide detailed information about these programs. Insured benefit programs are subject to the contracts between the Board and the carriers, and self-insured programs are subject to the Board's plan documents. Both contracts and plan documents are referred to as the Master Policy in this Agreement. NASA shall, however, be consulted on such contracts and plan documents and changes thereto and on changes of carriers.

31.12 Regular Recurring Employees

This Article shall apply to regular recurring employees during the inactive period provided they prepay the premiums as indicated below. Failure to prepay premiums will result in a loss of coverage.

(a) a full-time regular recurring employee will, prior to the inactive period, prepay the following premiums:

- fifty percent (50%) of the premium cost under Clause 31.02, Alberta Health Care

- one hundred percent (100%) of the premium costs under:

Clause 31.03 - Supplementary Health Care

Clause 31.08 - Optional Group Life Insurance

Clause 31.09 - Optional Group Dependent Life Insurance

Clause 31.10 - Optional Accidental Death and Dismemberment Insurance

The University will continue to pay one hundred percent (100%) of the premiums for the following benefits:

Clause 31.04 - Dental Insurance

Clause 31.05 - Basic Group Life Insurance

Clause 31.06 - Long Term Disability

(b) a part-time regular recurring employee will, prior to the inactive period, prepay the following premiums:

- one hundred percent (100%) of the premium costs under:

Clause 31.02 - Alberta Health Care

Clause 31.03 - Supplementary Health Care

Clause 31.04 - Dental Insurance

Clause 31.05 - Basic Group Life Insurance

Clause 31.06 - Long Term Disability

Clause 31.08 - Optional Group Life Insurance

Clause 31.09 - Optional Group Dependent Life Insurance

Clause 31.10 - Optional Accidental Death and Dismemberment Insurance

31.13 Temporary Employees

For temporary employees only Clauses 31.07 and 31.11 shall apply. The Board undertakes to make available a group Alberta Health Care Plan, of which one hundred percent (100%) of the premium cost shall be paid by each participating temporary employee.