The Consultative Committee on Staff Benefits has approved a cost of living adjustment for people receiving long term disability (LTD) benefits.  This increase of 1.2 per cent will apply to all recipients of LTD who went on disability between July 1, 2002 and Dec. 31, 2011.  It will be effective Jan. 1, 2013.

People who began receiving LTD before July 1, 2002 already receive an automatic increase of up to two per cent a year, depending on actual inflation. The automatic increases were dropped a decade ago for CBC employees who started LTD after 2002 because of financial conditions facing the plan.  Conditions have improved in recent years, and we have been able to ensure everyone on LTD receives a cost of living adjustment.

As of the end of October, 277 CBC employees were on LTD, the lowest number in about a decade.

During the December meeting of the CCSB, we were given an overview of online tool that our Employee Assistance Plan (EAP) introduced during the spring.  The Health Risk Assessment tool allows employees to confidentially provide information that can help produce a snapshot of their health risk factors and create a health profile. So far fewer than 700 CBC employees have tried it out, but our colleagues at EAP are hoping to bring that number up to 2,000 over the next few months.  You’ll be seeing more information from EAP in January, just in time to assist with those New Year’s resolutions.

At the December meeting, the CCSB met in person for the last time with our consultants from Mercer.  In particular, we thanked Bernie Potvin, who has provided at least 15 years of trusted advice on a wide range of benefits. We also had an opportunity to meet with two of the people from Morneau Shepell. The firm takes over as our new benefits consultants as of Jan. 1, 2013.

Your CMG representatives at the December CCSB:

Bob Fisher

Marc-Philippe Laurin

Barbara Saxberg

Jon Soper

Gabi Durocher

Dan Oldfield