Employer Monthly - April Issue
Last month, we introduced a refreshed Employer Monthly newsletter. It is our way of sharing the info you want, in the way you prefer.
This issue has updates on 119 reporting, the employer phone line, responses to your feedback, Plan change information, upcoming workshops and survivor benefits.
We welcome your comments and feedback. We hope the Monthly can be a useful resource.
Friendly Reminder – 119 Reporting
With the first quarter of the year concluding, we know you have been working hard to complete your 119 reporting.
751 employers have completed their annual reconciliation as at April 16, 2019. Don’t forget, the Pension Benefits Act requires all Pension Reports to be distributed to members by June 30. If you have questions or need some guidance, please visit the Annual Reconciliationpage and the e-Form 119 Checklistor call OMERS Employer Services at 416.350.6750 or 1 833.884.0389.
Dedicated Employer Services Phone Line
We know employers and administrators need different information from our members, that’s why we established a dedicated phone line specifically for those who administer the Plan. Our team is available to answer your administration related questions.
Call Employer Services
Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Phone: +1 416.350.6750
Toll-free: +1 833.884.0389
Please have your zone number ready!
Our new dedicated employer line has been very well received by our administrators. As a result, we have seen higher call volumes.
Each year, the first quarter typically has higher call volumes as a result of employer annual reporting, tax slip reporting, issuance of annual Pension Reports, etc. We have been monitoring the increased call volumes and the resulting longer wait times. We are committed to serving our clients in a timely manner and want to assure you that it is extremely important to us to get your calls as soon as possible.
You Asked, We Listened
Based on your feedback, here are some of the improvements we made.
Turnaround Times for e-Correspondence
: We’ve adjusted our follow up procedures to ensure more timely and accurate responses to your requests and inquiries
Form 164
: To avoid confusion and delays when administering this leave period, we corrected the deadline on the form to December 31 of the year the leave occurred
As always, please feel free to contact us with your ideas and suggestions at employerservices@omers.com.
Plan Change Information
Over the coming months, we will be updating our website to include more information and Q&As on the upcoming Plan Change Amendments. We’ve already posted some information on the Elimination of the 35-year cap, as well as the option to negotiate NRA 60 for paramedics.
Employer Administration Workshops
Our Employer Webinars and in person Workshops are popular and will provide you with a greater understanding of OMERS administration Topics and procedures.
Upcoming Employer Workshops
Ottawa - April 24
Thunder Bay - May 23
Toronto - May 29
Seating is limited so click here to choose a workshop and register today!
Upcoming Webinars (10 a.m. – 11 a.m.)
Contributions, Remittances and the e-Form 105 - May 9
Leave Period Administration (e-Form 165) - May 15
Disability Administration Part 1: Disability Elimination Period (e-Form 164) - May 28
For more webinar topics and dates, click here.
Survivor Benefits
As members yourselves, you might have received our re-designed member newsletter, OMERS Quarterly. In our Q1 edition we outlined our survivor benefits eligibility criteria. From time to time, you may receive questions about whether a spouse is eligible for OMERS survivor benefits, who qualifies as an eligible spouse, or what happens if spouses are separated.
When an OMERS member passes away, survivor benefits are payable based on an order of entitlement. A member’s “eligible spouse” is first in line for survivor benefits, as long as the couple was not living separate and apart at the relevant date (generally, the date of death, if a member dies before retirement; or the date of retirement, if a member dies after retirement), and the spouse did not waive their rights to survivor benefits.
More detailed information can be found in section 16 of the Employer Administration Manual.