Employer committed to individual needs

Rachel Karin, the Pension and Benefits Administrator at the City of Mississauga, has 4,071 reasons to come to work in the morning.

Each one is an OMERS member, and each one comes with a unique set of questions and concerns about the OMERS pension plan and retirement. “I always have to make sure that I’m giving the right information to the right person at the right time,” Rachel says.

Rachel’s responsibilities include educating, informing and responding to employee enquiries on the key elements of their benefit plans and OMERS. She works with employees to ensure their pension questions are addressed by answering questions and guiding members individually through the retirement process. “We have an open door policy, so employees just drop by the office or send an e-mail saying they’re thinking of retiring.”

“I walk them through the process and ask what dates they’re thinking of and why. Then I request pension estimates through e-access,” she says. In addition to e-access, Rachel also contacts OMERS Client Services or visits www.omers.com. “I do refer often to the OMERS website. When a person has a question, I’ll use the Employer Administration Manual online.”

Diversity

OMERS members at the city are a diverse group. Rachel says, “We have positions that range from accountants, to lawyers, firefighters and transit operators – all the way to fitness instructors. Working one-on-one, I really enjoy learning about each employee’s expertise, their passion for their work and what really motivates them.”

Trust

Rachel strongly believes in living the city’s corporate value of trust. She stresses that establishing trust is essential to building relationships when helping each member understand their pension plan. “I work hard to connect with people and maintain their confidence. This is especially important when an employee is planning for retirement. They come in years ahead of time to talk to me, and I hold their trust over those years.”

Security

She says taking care of confidential information is part of maintaining this trust. “All of our computer systems are password protected, so only certain authorized employees are allowed to access certain applications. We also
lock everything up at night. Security is paramount at the city for all our employees.”

Listening

When helping employees plan for retirement, Rachel says it’s important “to hear their needs – listen carefully to the questions they ask, and answer as simply as possible.” She carefully tailors her answers for each individual. “It’s about talking to each person in a way they understand, so they can get the best out of the programs offered.”

Rachel recalls making a difference for one employee through asking thoughtful questions. “A member approached me for a retirement estimate but did not have the early retirement factor,” she says. “After discussing the member’s request and probing into her previous work experience, we determined that she had worked as a summer student for an OMERS employer many, many years ago. She obtained proof of previous service and it was enough to enable her to retire on an unreduced early retirement pension.”

“I work hard to connect with people and maintain their confidence. This is especially important when an employee is planning for retirement.” – Rachel Karin,

Pension and Benefits Administrator, City of Mississauga