Employee Benefits

The City offers competitive Group Benefits packages which include:

• Prescription
• Dental Care
• Vision
• Extended Health Care benefits, such as clinical psychologist, registered masseur, speech pathologist and chiropractor
• Group life insurance
• Accidental Death & Dismemberment

Benefit entitlement for all Group benefits is based on the terms of employment as set out in the applicable collective agreement or corporate policy.

The City provides income replacement benefits if you cannot perform your duties because of an illness or non-work related injury. This is known as the Income Protection Plan. It is available for:

• Full-time, non-union employees who have completed three months service
• Unionized employees who are covered by a collective agreement which includes an income protection plan

Short-term disability is defined as a period of 26 weeks or less that an employee is not able to perform full regular duties/ hours due to a non-work related injury illness.

Long-term disability is defined as a period that begins at the 27^th week that you are continuously not able to perform full regular duties/ hours due to a non-work related injury illness.

During short- and long-term disability periods, Group benefits coverage will continue as long as you are eligible for coverage. Pension contributions will be made from disability pay where required.

The City provides pension benefits under the Ontario Municipal Employees Retirement System (OMERS). The OMERS plan provides members with a lifetime pension protected against inflation, including survivor and disability benefits. It offers early retirement options and can be transferred to other public sector plans. Employee contributions to the OMERS pension plan are matched 100% by the City.

It is mandatory for all permanent full-time employees to be enrolled in the OMERS plan. If you are not a permanent, full-time employee, you may still enrol in the Plan if in each of the two preceding calendar years you have:

• worked at minimum of 700 hours, or
• earned income equal to at least 35% of the Canada Pension Plan YMPE

The City offers the Canada Savings Bonds payroll program for employees.

The program provides you with the chance to contribute to a Canada Savings Bond through automatic payroll deductions. Benefits of this program include:

• Minimum purchase is only $4 per pay
• Interest calculated daily
• Easy to redeem your bonds when you need them
• Ability to increase, suspend or cancel your bonds
• Simple and secure online access

The City offers a competitive vacation plan. Details of each plan can be found in the collective agreement that the City has with each of its unions. Details of the plan for non-unionized jobs can be found in the Non-Union Vacation Entitlement policy(PDF, 66.97 KB).

The Employee Commuter (EC) Pass Program is a program that offers full-time employees a discount on a bus bass. If eligible, you will pay half the price of a bus pass and the City will pay the other half. You are also responsible to pay the taxable benefit charge on the City’s half.

• An employee’s home department pays the City’s portion of the pass. Approval of EC Passes is up to the home department.
• An EC Pass can be used at any time when buses are running.
• Family member and part-time employees are not eligible for an EC Pass.
• The EC Pass can be paid for through payroll deductions.
• The minimum sign-up period is for six months. This provides flexibility if you want to walk or cycle in the summer but take the bus in the fall and winter months.
• The EC Pas program helps reduce traffic in downtown Hamilton and it improves air quality.