Employer enrolment

Roles and responsibilities of plan membership

We have a strong team of professionals devoted to providing your organization with quality, cost-effective support. Yet, becoming a plan employer carries financial and administrative responsibilities as well. Pension administration is complex; it requires teamwork and extra time. You will need to have staff or a payroll provider carry out some pension administration tasks.

As a plan employer, your organization is responsible for the following:

• Paying (remitting) employer and employee contributions.
  
  
  • Contributions are due after each pay cycle. We provide you with employer contribution rates when you join the plan. Information about member contribution rates is available on the plan website. Your rate will generally change every three years as the result of an actuarial valuation; however, the board may direct a rate change between valuations if necessary. The new rate reflects an evaluation of the member data you submit for your employees (refer to the Employer Instruction Manual).
  • If you have a retroactive start date, you must pay contributions for the retroactive period (from the date you are requesting to join the plan, up to the date we notify you that your organization is approved to join the plan).
    • If we receive your application within 90 days after the date you requested to join the plan, retroactive contributions will be based on the employee earnings and contribution rates in effect during the retroactive period. The contribution rates will be the same as they would have been had you joined the plan on your requested enrolment date. Employer and employee contributions are mandatory.
    • If we receive your application more than 90 days after the date you requested to join the plan, contributions for the entire retroactive period will be treated as enrolment arrears based on the employee earnings and contribution rates in effect on the date we notify you that your organization is approved to join the plan. Your retroactive contributions might cost you more than they would have if you had joined the plan on your requested enrolment date. For example, if employee earnings or contribution rates increase from what was in effect throughout the retroactive period. Employer contributions are mandatory and employee contributions are optional. We will inform your employees of the option to purchase service; they will have five years to do so.


• Sharing information about the plan with your employees who are eligible to join the plan.
  
  The Guide for plan members contains valuable information that will help your employees learn about plan membership and their pension. You must provide your employees with a copy of the guide as a requirement of the Pension Benefits Standards Act at least 30 days before they are eligible to join the plan, or on or before their employment date when they are eligible to join the plan within 30 days after starting work.
  
  
  • To provide a paper copy, click the print icon at the bottom of each web page.
  • To provide an electronic copy, you must first obtain the employee’s consent. After they have provided consent to receive an electronic copy, you must provide clear, written instructions to the employee that tells them:
    • where and how they can access the guide on the plan site (see below)
    • that if they request a paper copy at any time, you will provide it to them
  • The guide can be accessed in two ways:
    • from the plan site, enter the search term “guide for plan members” and then click Guide for plan members
    • from this direct link: Guide for plan members


• Providing us with your employees’ pension data (service, salary and contributions) annually (refer to the Employer Instruction Manual).


• Ensuring your organization has the appropriate technical requirements, including Excel and a payroll system (refer to the Employer Web Services E-Handbook).