Article 35 – Employee Benefits

All Postdoctoral Fellows shall enroll in employee benefit plans for which they are eligible according to the terms of those plans. All Postdoctoral Fellows who hold an appointment of greater than or equal to 0.5 FTE and greater than or equal to a six (6) month term will be eligible for:

• Family Extended Health Care Plan
• Family Dental Plan
• Group Life Insurance Plan
• Business Travel Insurance

Premiums for all of the plans listed above shall be paid by the Employer with the exception of group life insurance, which shall be paid by employees.

a) All Research Associates shall enroll in employee benefit plans for which they are eligible according to the terms of those plans. Eligibility to participate in the benefit plans is dependent on the Research Associate’s current length of appointment, level of FTE and/or the number of hours worked in that appointment. Eligibility is not based upon the Research Associate’s cumulative service with the University and is determined by the duration of each appointment.

• Health/Drug
• Dental
• Pension
• Basic Life Insurance
• Disability (Salary Continuance, Long Term Disability)
• Optional Life Insurance
• Optional Accidental Death & Dismemberment (AD&D) Insurance
• Part-time Benefits

b) Full-time benefits are available to Research Associates who are working at least six months, and at least half-time (0.5 FTE). Thresholds for eligibility and the benefits available are:

In an employment term of:	To be eligible for:
6 months	Life Insurance, Health, Dental
Greater than 6 months, but less than 2 years	Life Insurance, Health, Dental, Pension
2 years of greater	Life Insurance, Health, Dental, Pension, Disability (Salary Continuance, Long Term Disability)

For Pension, the current contribution rate is 8.5% and is matched by the University. The pension plan is administered in accordance with the terms of the plan.

c) Part-Time Benefits and Pension

Research Associates who do not meet the requirements for the above benefits may be eligible for part-time benefits. As per The Saskatchewan Employment Act, coverage would begin after the qualifying period of twenty-six (26) consecutive weeks of employment from date of hire and once the Research Associate has worked 390 hours during that time or 780 hours within the calendar year. Benefits under the part-time plan include, Life Insurance, Health (prescription drugs only, family), and Dental (single, basic only).

Research Associates (excluding casual appointments), who are eligible and are participating in part-time benefits and who commence an approved leave of absence, may elect to retain these benefits only when the leave is for Maternity, Adoption or Parental leaves. Research Associates who have elected to maintain coverage may do so only until the end of their current appointment and so long as they maintain all premium payments.

Research Associates with multiple appointments will only be covered under one benefit plan at a time.

Part-time Research Associates who have been employed by the University for twenty-four (24) continuous months and have earned at least 35% of the Year’s Maximum Pensionable Earnings in each of the two previous calendar years will be eligible for part-time pension.

For Pension, the current contribution rate is 8.5% and is matched by the University. The pension plan is administered in accordance with the terms of the plan.

Detailed information concerning the benefit plans is provided by People and Resources and updated regularly on the Benefits website.

Changes to the terms of the plans listed above shall only be made by mutual agreement of the parties.