Temporary leave of absence
You may maintain your Plan membership and continue to make contributions during certain authorized leaves of absence. Please note, however, that some conditions apply as to the length of the absence. If you elect to continue to make contributions, you must do so for the entire duration of the leave of absence. Exceptionally, you may reach an agreement with your employer if you experience financial difficulties that prevent you from continuing to make contributions. In such a case, the suspension of payments is final: you may not resume your contributions later.
If your leave of absence is paid
If you are paid by your employer during your leave, your contributions continue to be withheld from your eligible earnings and the leave of absence is included in your years of credited service.
If your leave of absence is not paid
You may maintain your Plan membership during certain leaves of absence where you are not paid by your employer. You must, however, inevitably notify your employer of your intention to continue making contributions no later than the last day of the month following the month during which your leave began.
If you decide to continue making contributions, your employer will make matching contributions and your leave of absence will be added to your years of credited service.
To continue making contributions during your leave of absence, you must notify your employer by filling out the Contributions to the Pension Plan during unpaid leaves of absence form, available in the Forms section (in the personal zone of this site) or from your employer. You must complete and sign the form and provide it to your employer to confirm your decision.
Even if you do not wish to continue making contributions, your employer will require you to fill out this form to confirm your decision not to contribute.
The types of leaves for which you are allowed to maintain your Plan membership by making contributions as well as their maximum duration are summarized in section 9.5 Unpaid leaves of absence during which you may maintain your active membership.
Eligible earnings used
Eligible earnings refer to the salary you would have received, had you been actively at work during the leave of absence. Promotions to a higher grade and salary increases are taken into account during a leave of absence.
Moreover, the eligible earnings are based on your regular work schedule (not including overtime) when your leave of absence began.
If your work schedule was irregular before the leave of absence, your regular work schedule will be the equivalent of your average weekly hours of work in the last four months preceding the beginning of your leave, as reported by your employer to the appointed administrator.
Unpaid leaves of absence during which you may maintain your active membership
Leave of absence for family or parental reasons
The following table summarizes the different leaves of absence authorized by the Act respecting Labour Standards and their maximum duration. Please refer to the law for more details.
- Close relative: father, mother, brother, sister, grandparent of the member's
- Immediate family: spouse, own child, spouse's child, member's father, mother, brother and sister
- Distant family: son-in-law, daughter-in-law, member's grandparents and grandchildren, spouse's father, mother, brother and sister
Other unpaid leaves of absence
During other types of temporary leaves of absence without pay, such as unpaid leaves, study leaves, sabbaticals, strikes and lockouts, you may not make plan contributions and you stop accumulating credited service.
To make contributions or not to make contributions?
The choice to continue making contributions during an unpaid leave of absence is yours. It provides you the opportunity to increase your retirement income because you will continue accumulating credited service, despite your absence from work.
Should you decide to contribute, you must fill out the Contributions to the Pension Plan during unpaid leaves of absence form and provide it to your employer. Various payment methods are available, as indicated on the form available from your employer.
Questions and answers about absence from work
Must I fill out a form for a temporary unpaid leave?
Yes. Whether you wish to continue making contributions or not during your leave of absence, you must notify your employer by filling out the Contributions to the Pension Plan during unpaid leaves of absence form.
The form is available in the Forms section (in the personal zone of this site) or from your employer.
Will I be able to catch up on these missed contributions once I return to work?
No type of pension buyback is allowed under the plan. The contributions must be made during the leave of absence.
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