1. Scope
1.1 This policy applies to all regular academic and non-academic employees of the University.
1.2 For the purposes of this policy, "full-time", in the case of an academic employee, shall be determined by the terms of employment as approved by the Board of Governors at the time of appointment. In the case of non-academic employees, "full-time" shall refer to an employee working 2/3 or more of the normal working hours for their role profile, as defined in the Hours of Work Policy.
1.3 For the purposes of this policy, "part-time" refers to an employee who is not working sufficient hours to be considered a full-time employee in accordance with Article 1.2, and who is paid on a weekly or bi-weekly basis at an annualized rate of not less than $25,000.
1.4 For the purposes of this policy, "regular" shall refer to an employee appointed for a period of not less than three consecutive months if the appointment is full-time, or a period of not less than nine consecutive months if the appointment is part-time. This policy does not apply for casual employees.
1.5 Full-time students at the University and postdocs who are not covered by the AMURE (Postdocs) collective agreement are not eligible for benefits coverage.
2. Policy
2.1 Membership in the Group Life Insurance Plan and the Long-Term Disability Plan is mandatory and a condition of employment for all regular full-time employees.
2.2 Subject to Article 2.3, membership in the McGill University Pension Plan is mandatory for all regular full-time employees following the completion of five (5) years of continuous service. Membership will be optional for regular full-time employees with less than five (5) years of continuous service.
2.3 A full-time non-academic employee who is covered by the terms of a collective agreement between the University and Local 800 of the Service Employees' Union will automatically become covered under the non-contributory Pension Plan for Members of the Service Employees' Union as of his/her date of first appointment. Such membership will be in lieu of membership in the McGill University Pension Plan.
2.4 Membership in the Supplemental Health Plan is mandatory unless an employee is covered under another group plan, such as the plan of their spouse.
2.5 Membership in the Dental Plan is optional in the case of regular full-time employees. Employees who did not elect membership as of October 1, 1982, or upon commencement of employment, if later, will again become eligible for membership on each third anniversary of the original date of eligibility.
2.6 Membership in the Dental Plan may be cancelled by a regular full-time employee provided that he/she has been a member of the Plan for three (3) consecutive years. Once an employee has opted out of the Plan, he/she will not become eligible for coverage within the same period of employment.
2.7 Regular part-time employees are eligible to enroll in an Optional Benefits Program. An employee electing membership in the Program will be required to enroll in the Group Life Insurance Plan and the Long Term Disability Plan. Membership in the Supplemental Health Plan is also mandatory unless the employee is covered under another group plan such as the plan of their spouse. Membership of the Dental Plan will be at the option of the member as described in Article 2.5 and 2.6 preceding.
2.8 Regular, part-time employees who do not subscribe to the Optional Benefits Program at the date of first appointment will again become eligible for membership on each third anniversary of the original date of eligibility.
2.9 Effective January 1, 1990 in the event that a part-time employee has (a) completed seven hundred (700) hours of employment during the preceding calendar year; or (b) accumulated Basic Salary equal to or in excess of thirty-five percent (35%) of the Maximum Pensionable Earnings established by the Quebec Pension Plan for such calendar year, he/she shall have the right to become a member of the McGill University Pension Plan.
2.10 An employee who is eligible for membership in the McGill University Pension Plan under the terms of Articles 2.2 and who has elected to (a) delay enrolment in the Plan or (b) suspend contributions under the terms of Article 2.11, by reason of not having completed five (5) years of continuous service, may subsequently elect to enroll in the Plan by contacting the Human Resources Service Center and completing the required application form.
2.11 A member of the McGill University Pension Plan who completed less than five (5) years of continuous service and who wishes to suspend contributions may do so by advising the Human Resources Service Center in writing. In such a case, contributions shall resume on the first day of the month coinciding with or next following the attainment of five (5) years of service. A regular full-time employee will be excused from the membership in all or part of the McGill benefits program if he/she is visiting at McGill while on leave of absence from another employer and is maintaining equivalent benefits coverage through that employer.
Last revised June 1, 2014
