Part of Canadian Blood Services (Technical) Collective Agreement 2021-2024

Canadian Blood Services (Technical) Collective Agreement 2021-2024

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LETTER OF UNDERSTANDING #4

Between

CANADIAN BLOOD SERVICES
(hereinafter referred to as "the Employer”)

and

HEALTH SCIENCES ASSOCIATION OF ALBERTA
(hereinafter referred to as "the Union")

RE: CANADIAN BLOOD SERVICES UNIVERSAL BENEFITS PLAN

WITHOUT PREJUDICE OR PRECEDENT
 

Whereas, the Parties are interested in maintaining a Universal Benefits Plan which would apply to all eligible employees at Canadian Blood Services, the Parties agree that:

  1. The Universal Benefits Plan, as described in the attached plan summary, shall replace the benefit entitlements as described in Articles 18.01 (b), (c), (d), (e), (f), and (g) of the Collective Agreement.  Eligibility to participate in the benefits plan shall continue to be in accordance with the Collective Agreement.
  2. Other-than-full-time employees’ eligibility for participation in the Universal Benefits Plan shall continue as per their current eligibility for participation under the Collective Agreement.
  3. The levels of coverage of the Universal Benefits Plan shall not be reduced from those levels in effect as of the date of signing of this Letter of Understanding.
  4. The Employer shall make any future enhancements to the Universal Benefits Plan at its sole discretion.
  5. If the union no longer wishes to participate in the Universal Benefits Plan, it may indicate its intention to withdraw from the Plan concurrent with its notice to bargain as outlined in Article 1.01. The Parties would then be free to negotiate levels of benefit coverage after which time this Letter of Understanding shall be null and void. The level of benefits provided under the Universal Benefits Plan shall remain in effect for the duration of this collective agreement, the aforementioned notice period and during the negotiation period for a renewal collective agreement.

For the Purposes of this Letter of Understanding:
“The Parties” shall mean the Employer and the Union.

“Universal Benefits Plan” shall mean the extended health care, dental, life insurance, accidental death and dismemberment insurance, long term disability and business travel accident insurance plans provided to non-union employees (and as amended by the attached plan description) as of the date of signing of this Letter of Understanding.

An “eligible employee” shall mean an employee who is entitled to participate in the Universal Benefits Plan benefits plan, subject to the rules and regulations of the plan.

An “other-than-full-time employee” shall mean a regular part-time, temporary, or casual employee.

“Collective Agreement” shall mean the Collective Agreement between Canadian Blood Services and the Health Sciences Association of Alberta.


Canadian Blood Services Universal Benefits Plan 

Plan Feature
Retirement Division
  • as per the current retirement division
Major Medical
Premium Cost Sharing
  • as per the Collective Agreement
Waiting Period
  • full-time: 1st of the month following date of hire
    • part-time:  as per the Collective Agreement
Participation Basis
  • employee coverage: compulsory (except for opting out provisions as set out in the benefits contract)
  • dependent coverage:  not compulsory
Required Number of Hours
  • as per the Collective Agreement 
Deductible
  • $15 single/$25 family deductible for drug expenses
  • nil for all other expenses
Combined Maximum
  • unlimited
Coinsurance 
  • Drugs
  • 100%
  • Hospital
  • 100%
  • Vision
  • 100%
  • Other Eligible Expenses
  1. 80% professional and paramedical services
  2. 100% for all other expenses
  • Drug Features
  • drugs available only by prescription (plus certain life-sustaining drugs that do not legally require a prescription) with a valid Drug Identification Number (DIN)
  • pay direct drug card
  • includes claims management features such as, dynamic maintenance, generic drug substitution, and reasonable and customary pharmacy mark-up and dispensing fee maximums by province
  • Over-the-counter products are not eligible.
  • Anti-obesity drugs
  • Smoking cessations drugs to $300.00 life time maximum per person.
  • Fertility drugs are subject to a lifetime maximum of $15,000.00 per person
  • Charges for oral contraceptives, intrauterine devices and diaphragms.
  • Hospital Room
  • private 
  • Nursing Care
  • max $25,000 per person every 3 years
  • Paramedical
  • 80% paramedical services to applicable maximum
Acupuncture
  • max of $500 per person per year
Chiropractor
  • max of $500 per person per year
Osteopath
  • max of $500 per person per year*
Naturopath
  • max of $500 per person per year*
Podiatrist
  • max of $500 per person per year*
Speech Therapist
  • max of $500 per person per year
Massage Therapist
  • max of $500 per person per year
Acupuncture (performed by physician)
  • n/a

Physio-therapist

Psychologist/Social Worker/Psychotherapist

Clinical Counsellor, Marriage and Family Therapist, and Psychoanalyst

Speech Therapist

  • max of $500 per person per year

  • max of $1500 per person per year

 

 

  • max of $500 per person per calendar year

  • Vision Care
  • max of $250 per person in any 24 consecutive months (frames, lenses, laser)
    • one eye exam every 2 calendar years (reasonable and customary costs)
  • Hearing Aids
  • max of $300 per person in any 5 consecutive calendar years
  • Other
  • nursing home accommodation – max $20 a day
  • ambulance services to and from the nearest appropriate medical care
  • medical supplies and services to specified maximums
  • accidental dental treatment within 6 months of the accident
  • extra care (wigs or hairpieces up to $500 lifetime per person)
  • Emergency Out-of-Country
  • emergency medical services
  • referral treatment
  • max of $1 million lifetime per person
  • Travel Assistance
  • Included
  * Less any amount paid by the government plan
Dental
Premium Cost Sharing
  • as per the Collective Agreement
Waiting Period
  • same as Major Medical
Participation Basis
  • same as Major Medical
Required Number of Hours
  • same as Major Medical
Dental Fee Guide
  • current in province of residence
Deductibles
Single
  • nil
Family
  • nil
Coinsurance
  • Part I Preventive
  • 100%
  • Minor Restorative
  • 100%
  • Part II Major Restorative
  • 50%
  • Part III Orthodontic
  • 50% (Eligible Dependent Children only)
Orthodontic Dependent Children Age Basis
  • under 19 years old
Benefit Maximum
  • Part I – unlimited
  • Part II - $1,500/year
  • Part III - $2,500 lifetime
Recall Exam
  • 6 months 
X-Rays
  • bitewing – once every 6 months
  • full mouth – once every 24 months
Long Term Disability
Premium Cost Sharing
  • as per the Collective Agreement
Waiting Period
  • same as Major Medical 
Participation Basis
  • employee coverage: compulsory
  • dependent coverage: not applicable
Required Number of Hours
  • same as Major Medical
Benefit Formula
  • less than 4 years of service: 66 2/3% of pre-disability earnings
  • 4 years of service or more:  75% of pre-disability earnings
Maximum Benefit
  • $15,000 a month without Evidence of Insurability, $23,000 a month with satisfactory Evidence of Insurability as per Manulife.
Qualifying Period
  • 15 weeks or expiration of sick leave credits whichever is greater
All Source Maximum
  • 80% of gross pre-disability earnings
Definition of Disability
  • 2 years own occupation
Indexation of Benefits
  • no
Pre-existing Condition Clause
  • yes
Basic Life Insurance
Premium Cost Sharing
  • as per the Collective Agreement
Waiting Period
  • same as Major Medical
Participation Basis
  • employee coverage: compulsory
  • dependent coverage: not applicable
Required Number of Hours
  • same as Major Medical
Benefit Formula
  • 1.5x basic annual salary, rounded to next highest $1,000, if not already a multiple of $1,000
Reduction Formula

  • employee at age 65: coverage immediately reduces at age 65 & on each anniversary thereafter to the following percentage of original amount:

    85% at age 65

    70% at age 66

    55% at age 67

    40% at age 68

    25% at age 69

Maximum Benefit
  • without evidence: $600,000
  • with evidence: $1,000,000
  • combined maximums with Optional Life
Optional Life Insurance
Premium Cost Sharing
  • as per the Collective Agreement
Waiting Period
  • same as Major Medical
Participation Basis
  • employee coverage: not compulsory
  • dependent coverage: not applicable
Required Number of Hours
  • same as Major Medical
Benefit Formula
  • 1x or 2x basic annual salary, rounded to next highest $1,000, if not already a multiple of $1,000
Maximum Benefit
  • without evidence: $600,000
  • with evidence: $1,000,000
  • combined maximums with Basic Life
Dependent Life
Premium Cost Sharing
  • as per the Collective Agreement
Waiting Period
  • same as Major Medical
Participation Basis
  • employee coverage: not applicable
  • dependent coverage: not compulsory
Required Number of Hours
  • same as Major Medical
Benefit Formula 
  • Spouse
  • $5,000
  • Each Eligible Child
  • $2,000
Basic Accidental Death & Dismemberment (AD&D)
Premium Cost Sharing
  • as per the Collective Agreement
Waiting Period
  • same as Major Medical
Participation Basis
  • employee coverage: compulsory
  • dependent coverage: not applicable
Required Number of Hours
  • same as Major Medical
Benefit Formula
  • 1.5x basic annual salary, rounded to next highest $1,000, if not already a multiple of $1,000
Reduction Formula

  • employee at age 65: coverage immediately reduces at age 65 & on each anniversary thereafter to the following percentage of original amount:

    85% at age 65

    70% at age 66

    55% at age 67

    40% at age 68

    25% at age 69

Voluntary AD&D
Premium Cost Sharing
  • as per the Collective Agreement
Waiting Period
  • same as Major Medical
Participation Basis
  • employee coverage: not compulsory
  • dependent coverage: not compulsory
Required Number of Hours
  • same as Major Medical
Benefit Formula
  • Employee Coverage
  1. units of $10,000 to maximum of $500,000
  • Family Coverage
  • spouse, no children: 50% of employee coverage
  • spouse and eligible children: 40% of employee coverage for spouse & 10% for each child
  • eligible children only: 15% of employee coverage for each eligible child

This is a summary of your benefits. While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of this information, complete information of your benefits can be found in the policy contract on the CBS intranet. Should any difference occur between this information and the contract, the contract will prevail.

Effective Date: April 1, 2023

Employers: Canadian Blood Services