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OSSTF District 11- Thames Valley
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District 11 Office |
Education Matters Online
Feature
Volume 3, Issue 1: November 10, 2004
TBU Members: Long Term Disability Information |
OTIP/RAEO is pleased to announce a new service for insured members and their
representatives. “Online Benefits” provides insured members with group
information and resources related to their group LTD plan through a secure
Internet website. Members can access this site by using the following user
name and password, which have been assigned to your plan. Members can now
access and print the following:
An overview of your group LTD plan
· Your group LTD policy
· OTIP/RAEO’s LTD Questions & Answers
· LTD related forms
· Wellness resources developed specifically for OTIP/RAEO insured members
The site is password protected and a generic user name is provided for each
insured group. This ensures that our membership has access to the
appropriate LTD plan information. Please see your Branch President or call
the District Office for the user name and password.
Considering Going to Part-time Because of Illness?
Members should not take a part-time leave because of illness. Members are
often tempted to reduce their assignment to part-time because of the
illnesses brought on by stress or other factors. If you are becoming ill and
thinking about going to part-time you should be taking sick leave for part
of the day rather than reducing your assignment to part-time. By reducing
your assignment, you are reducing your possible Long Term Disability Benefit
entitlement. That means that if your illness becomes more serious and you
need to take a longer period off work, your benefit will be based on your
reduced monthly income. Before making the decision, please call the District
Office for advice.
You should also make use of the Employee Assistance Program (call 1-800-265-8310) if you are having any personal difficulties and would like to discuss them confidentially.
Thinking Ahead to Retirement?
LTD Premium Termination Provision
Members should not remit LTD premiums if they are no longer eligible to
receive benefits. The termination provision in our OTIP LTD policy allows a
member to terminate his/her coverage on the earliest of the date the member
is eligible for a 66% unreduced service pension (USP), less the length of
the waiting period, or the end of the month when the member reaches age 65,
less the length of the waiting period.
It is a common misunderstanding that eligibility for benefits terminates
when a member attains their 85 factor for pension purposes. The OTIP LTD
contract establishes that eligibility to receive benefits terminates at a
specified USP level. Benefits do not simply terminate at attainment of the
85 factor, but rather when a member becomes eligible to receive a specified
unreduced service pension.
For example, if a member reaches age 60 with only 25 years of service,
he/she has attained the 85 factor, but is eligible for a 50% pension.
Therefore this member would continue to be eligible to receive LTD benefits.
Another member is 55 years old and has 33 years of service. This member is
eligible for a 66% USP (at least 85 factor with 33 years of service). Under
the standard OTIP contract, this member’s LTD coverage should be cancelled
once he/she is within the length of the waiting period from the completion
of 33 years of credited service (attainment of a 66% USP).
Click here for further details.
LTD Premium refund
If a member has paid LTD premiums after he/she is no longer eligible to
receive LTD benefits, it is OTIP’s policy that the overpayment of premiums
may be refunded back to the member, within certain parameters. The maximum
amount refunded in the event of a retroactive request will be the overpaid
LTD premium amounts for the current school year, and the school year prior
to the current year.
To apply for a refund, a member should notify OTIP in writing of their LTD
premium overpayment including a copy of their Teachers’ Pension Plan (TPP)
pension report illustrating TPP credit, qualifying years and qualifying
factor. Your OTIP service representative will review the documentation,
identify any outstanding required information and arrange for the refund to
be processed. Since the maximum refund period is limited to the current and
the preceding school year, refund requests should be forwarded to OTIP prior
to August 31.
If you have any questions, please contact Eric Wilson, your OTIP service
representative at 1-866-486-6847.
