What happens if I become disabled?

SICK LEAVE

Your district may provide a sick leave plan for members unable to work due to illness or injury for some or all of the period before eligibility for Long Term Disability benefits. Please refer to your Collective Agreement or contact your School District Benefits Administrator for more information.

SHORT TERM DISABILITY

While short term disability (STD) is not a benefit offered through the PEBT, some districts have chosen to transfer this benefit to Desjardins to keep administration consistent among benefits for unionized support staff. This also ensures better coordination between short and long term disability plans. Refer to the My Benefits section of this website to determine if you have STD coverage through the PEBT Benefits Program.

If this coverage is available to you, to apply for short term disability benefits, please complete the Short Term Disability Claim Form available from your School District Benefits Administrator. The School District Benefits Administrator will complete the Employer’s Statement, and you will then complete the Employee’s Statement and forward it to the provider. If you have not already completed the Attending Physician’s Statement for the Joint Early Intervention Service (JEIS), then you must also have this completed by your physician and include it with your application to the provider.

Please be aware that written proof of a claim must be submitted to the provider within 60 days of the disability commencement date. Furthermore, a claim should be submitted before this date even if you may be receiving disability payment under another plan, such as WorkSafeBC benefits. Subsequent written proof satisfactory to the provider of continued disability must be submitted to the provider at their request.

LONG TERM DISABILITY

For a description of the PEBT Long Term Disability Program click here.

Application for long term disability benefits is coordinated through the Joint Early Intervention Service (JEIS). Your Health Care Management Specialist (HCMS) from Desjardins will advise you and the School District Benefits Administrator of the information required. If you are away from work due to illness or injury and have not been contacted by an HCMS within six working days of your first day of absence, please contact your School District Benefits Administrator as soon as possible.

WAIVER OF PREMIUM

Members approved for Core LTD benefits automatically receive a waiver of premium for the following benefits (where applicable):

  • Basic life insurance
  • Dependent life Insurance
  • Optional life insurance
  • PEBT Other LTD plan
  • Basic accidental death & dismemberment insurance
  • Optional accidental death & dismemberment insurance

This means that while you have an open Core LTD claim with Desjardins, the coverage for the above-noted benefits remains in place without the payment of premium until you are no longer disabled, fail to provide proof of continued disability, you retire, or you attain age 65 or 35 years of pensionable service under the Municipal Pension Plan or any other registered pension plan arising out of employment with an employer and a minimum age of 55, whichever is earlier.

If you are disabled but not eligible for LTD benefits, waiver of premium for basic life, dependent life, optional life, optional spouse life, and optional child life is not automatic. The following steps must be taken:

  • The School District Benefits Administrator completes the Employer Statement of the Waiver of Premium Claim Form and provides it to the employee to complete the Employee and Physician Statements and send it to Desjardins.
  • Desjardins must receive notification for these forms within 90 days following the end of the 6-month elimination period.
  • Applications will be adjudicated based on the same definition of disability as the Core LTD.
  • A decision letter will be sent to the School District Benefits Administrator.
  • The effective date of the waiver of premium will be the 1st of the month coincident with or next following the end of the six-month elimination period.
  • Waivers of premium for employees disabled before the transfer to the PEBT Benefits Program are the responsibility of the previous life insurers.

Note: An employee who is disabled and receiving a WorkSafeBC benefit should still apply for the life insurance waiver of premium within the notification period (90 days following the end of the elimination period).

ACCIDENTAL DEATH & DISMEMBERMENT (AD&D) INSURANCE, INCLUDING BASIC AD&D AND OPTIONAL AD&D

Accidental death & dismemberment waiver(s) of premium are tied to the approval of the life insurance waiver(s) of premium. As the basic and optional life benefits are automatically approved when Core LTD benefits are approved, the basic and optional AD&D premium is also automatically waived when Core LTD is approved. No separate application is required to apply for waiver of premium for these benefits.

REPORTING LONG TERM DISABILITY TO THE PENSION CORPORATION

Unionized support staff employees participating in the Municipal Pension Plan (MPP) that are approved for LTD continue to accrue pensionable and contributory service without employee or employer contributions while they are receiving benefits.

The School District Benefits Administrator will submit a Start (LTD) Form to the MPP to advise that the employee has been approved for LTD benefits. When the employee’s LTD claim has ended, an MPP LTD Stop Form is completed and submitted to MPP by the School District Benefits Administrator. Start and Stop Forms can be obtained by accessing the Employer’s Instruction Manual (Sections 6 and 7) on the MPP website. This website and instruction manual will also provide more detailed information on how to report earnings to MPP while an employee is receiving LTD benefits.

JOINT EARLY INTERVENTION SERVICES (JEIS) PROGRAM

All disabled members must participate in the Joint Early Intervention Services (JEIS) Program.

The mission of the JEIS program is to complement the LTD benefit plan by providing a proactive and timely service to members that facilitates the employee’s return to work in a caring, safe and timely manner.

The JEIS is fully supported by unions, school districts and the PEBT to assist members in their return to work.

For more information regarding the JEIS program, please click here.

CORE LTD ENHANCEMENT – EXTENDED HEALTH AND DENTAL COVERAGE CONTINUATION

Effective July 1, 2021, all active Core LTD claimants who have been receiving LTD benefits for less than two years will be eligible to have their portion of the premium contributions for their extended health and dental coverage paid for by the Core LTD program. This coverage continues until the member is no longer eligible for LTD benefits or has received LTD benefits for two years.

Members who decided to reduce or terminate extended health or dental coverage after they became disabled may be eligible to reinstate coverage as of the start date of LTD benefits, with the Core LTD program covering the cost of these benefits.

As you approach the two-year milestone of your LTD claim, you will receive a letter confirming the end date of this Core LTD enhancement and a reminder to contact your School District Benefits Administrator at your earliest convenience to discuss your options for continuing extended health and/or dental coverage beyond this date. The Collective Agreement determines the option to continue coverage. If you do not contact your School District Benefits Administrator, coverage may be terminated, and medical evidence of good health may be required should you wish to re-enroll for extended health and/or dental coverage in the future.