Onboarding Package - Input the Beneplan Enrolment Form, Beneplan Student Eligibility Form, and Optional Health Evidence Form (for application above the non-evidence maximum for pooled benefits) in the package for completion by the employee. Set a deadline that all forms need to be back within 1 week. Ask Beneplan if you need help drafting a sample onboarding letter.

Booklets and Brochures - Ensure you provide the employee with a copy of their benefits booklet(s) for all carriers, and brochures for all benefits add-ons.

Payroll Deductions - Provide the employee with your written policy regarding payroll deductions, and obtain sign-off. 

Calendar Reminder - Set a calendar reminder for yourself at the end of the probation period to check-in with the employee if forms are not yet returned. This is important, because if the Enrolment Form is submitted more than 31 days past the effective date (= hire date + waiting period/probation), they will be considered a Late Applicant. Late Applicants require proof of good health in order to join the plan, so you do not want this liability as an employer.

End of Probation - Benefits typically start at the end of the probation or waiting period. Check your benefits booklet for this figure. Contact the employee to find out if they have received their drug card. Drug cards typically arrive at the employee's home address within 1 week of the effective date. If there is no drug card yet, contact Beneplan.

Refusal of benefits? If an employee refuses to join the benefit plan, kindly explain that participation in the plan is mandatory. If they still choose to refuse, ask Beneplan for a refusal form that requires spousal and beneficiary sign-off. This usually ends the discussion. 

Full legal name (match government ID)

Salary (please check with us if you should report commissions, bonuses, etc)

Occupation or Title

Class (Ex: from Employee to Executive)

Division or Cost Centre (if applicable)

Full-time status (part-time / contract / seasonal etc)

Termination of Employment and type (resign / no cause / layoff etc)

Approved Leaves (Parental, Compassionate, Sick, unpaid vacation, etc)

Full legal name of the employee(s)

Certificate number of the employee(s)

The effective date of the termination – if the employee(s) quit or resign, it is the last day worked. If there is an extension, please notify what you would like to do.

Full name of the employee(s)

Certificate number of the employee(s)

The last day the employee(s) worked

Full name of the employee(s)

Certificate number of the employee(s)

Reasons for taking voluntary leave

The last day the employee(s) worked

The time the employee(s) is expected to come back to work

Listen to them and show compassion. This is an extremely stressful time, so please take the time to listen if they need to talk.

Practice strict confidentiality. Do not share any details about their private health situation unless you have received expressed direction from the person to do so. If someone starts to open up about their health issue, please stop them and remind them that sharing information with an employer representative is not mandatory and for their own privacy, it's best that they keep the details brief. While it may seem normal to tell your boss or colleague about what the person told you, we urge you not to do so. Do not assume. 

Remember Human Rights. Any negative treatment (real or perceived) directly related to their disability is grounds for a Human Rights violation. If someone complains to the Human Rights board, the employer should expect an extremely expensive process and a track record of rulings against employers.

Remind them of their full benefit plan. Immediately give them a copy of all group health insurance booklets and brochures. Explicitly tell them (writing is best) if they are eligible to submit a claim for short or long term disability benefits. 

Document everything non-medical. Like with the rest of HR, it's critical to document all exchanges with an employee. Do not document private health details, but it's okay to document items like prognosis (terminal, survivable, etc), length of time needed off work, last date worked, return to work date, emergency contacts, updated employee personal contact information, and any other relevant details. 

Notify Beneplan. Tell us, even if you are not sure if it's relevant. It's always better to start a claim earlier than too late. Beneplan can provide you with the claim forms if you are not sure where to look. 

Forms. Provide the employee with the Short Term Disability Employee Statement and Physician's statement. Urge them to ask questions to the insurer directly, to protect their privacy. Fill out the Employer Statement at your earliest convenience and send it to the insurer, with a copy to Beneplan and a copy for your own records. Please track the date and method sent.

Communicate! Don't wait until there's a decision - keep an open and frequent dialogue going with the employee, at a cadence that makes sense with your relationship. Don't let it slip to be less than every month. This is the #1 mistake employers make. Also, communicate with Beneplan often - if there is a return to work date, please notify Beneplan and the insurers. 

4 months is a key date - most LTD plans have an 'elimination period' of 119 days. This means that if an employee is eligible to claim under the LTD plan, payments only begin after 119 days from the date of loss (could be either the date of disability or last date worked). 

Therefore, check in around 2 months from the last date worked (LDW). It takes an insurer 4 weeks to review all information regarding LTD, and we like to build in a buffer of another 4 weeks to let the employee have time to book with their doctor, wait for doctors to fill in forms, etc. 

Do not wait until the end of 4 months to apply - 95% of people live paycheck-to-paycheck and you don't want someone to be in a position where they don't know how they will pay for their rent or mortgage. Be proactive. As your employer, it's your responsibility to know better, not the employee's. 

Communicate! It's always better to over-communicate than under-communicate. If you receive any information that may be relevant, notify Beneplan and the insurer. If the employee is approved, stay in touch with them at least once per month.

Document everything. As always, keep good records. If you are sending a letter, do it by registered mail. Email? Request a read receipt. Call? Note it in a log.

Be Nice. This is a very stressful time for the employee. Be nice and compassionate, without being unprofessional or crossing personal lines.

Waiver of Premium. If the employee is approved for waiver of premium, ensure that you notify payroll to stop deducting premiums. 

Rehabilitation. If the employee is participating in a rehabilitation plan as directed by the insurer, you as the employer have a duty to participate and accommodate. 

Return to Work. When the employee is cleared to return to work, there may be a gradual return to work plan (GRTW). Please participate in good faith. During a GRTW, it is normal and expected to have frequent calls with the case manager or rehabilitation manager. 

Reinstatement of Premium. If the employee returns to work full-time, please double-check with payroll that they are reinstating premium deductions. 

Celebrate! Welcome the employee back to the team with open arms. Get a cake, plan a social, decorate their desk, or sign a card. They have just survived disability leave, which is a big feat!

Eligibility - The insurer first reviews the information to ensure the employee is eligible to make a claim (full time, passed the waiting period, definition of disability, etc). 

Review of information - The insurer assigns a case manager who reviews the medical information. Case managers are well-trained in anatomy, disabilities and disease, and may be former healthcare practitioners. This may take 2 to 4 weeks.

Approval - An official letter will be sent out to all parties involved - you as the employer, Beneplan, and the employee. Please document and save everything. 

Maintenance - The insurer will check-in with the employee frequently to ask for medical updates. 

Notify Beneplan immediately. We will help you find the right claim forms.

Claim Forms. Share the claim forms with the employee or their loved ones. While it's hard, please document and track the form submission. If through mail, send it through registered mail. If through email, ask for a read receipt. If handed in-person, please make a log.  

Payment. The cheque or direct deposit is usually issued within one week of the forms being submitted and approved. Please follow up with all parties until you have confirmation that it was received and deposited.