Having trouble viewing this email? View it in your browser.
If you wish to print a PDF copy of this email, click here.

MAY 2012  |  ISSUE 77

Mercon Office Closing

Please note that Mercon Services’ offices will be closed on Monday, May 21, 2012 in observance of Victoria Day.

Office Supervisory Benefit Plan Terminations and Changes

If you are terminating an employee from the Office Supervisory Benefit Plan or you are changing employee information relevant to the plan (e.g. salary or employment status), please ensure that you complete an Office Supervisory Benefit Plan Transmittal form, including the appropriate details. The form is available on the Mercon website by clicking here, or by calling Mercon. Information regarding terminations and changes for the Office Supervisory Benefit Plan can also be emailed to office@merconbenefits.com.

Please do not submit terminations or changes on cheque stubs or documents other than the Transmittal Form. Utilization of the Transmittal Form will ensure that changes to your employees’ coverage and your company’s billing statements are processed promptly and accurately.

Payment of Office Supervisory Benefit Plan Monthly Premiums

Premiums for the Office Supervisory Benefit Plan coverage for a given month are due on the fifteenth day of that month. For example, premiums for June 2012 coverage are due by June 15, 2012.

In the event that premiums have not been received by the fifteenth day of the month, Mercon will contact the member company to advise that the benefit plan is in arrears and to request payment. If payment is not made immediately, employees must be terminated from the benefit plan as of the last day of the month for which premiums were received. Reinstatement of coverage will not be possible until premiums are paid in full.

Deadline for Submission of 2011 Claims

All claims for reimbursement of extended health, dental and Medical Reimbursement Plan expenses for services provided from January 1, 2011 to December 31, 2011 must be received by Great-West Life prior to June 30, 2012.

If claims for services provided in 2011 are received by Great-West Life after June 30, 2012 they will not be paid. Employees will be reminded in upcoming versions of Merit Talk.

Student Participation in the Merit Benefit Plans

The Hour Bank Benefit Plan rules require that all employees working for a member company who are age 16 or older must participate in the Hour Bank Plan. This includes students in both the field and shop. Even though students may only be hired for the summer months, they are still required to participate in the Hour Bank Plan. The only students that can be exempted from the Plan are students who are part of the Registered Apprentice Program (RAP) in Alberta and Manitoba or the Student Internship Program in Saskatchewan.

Under the Office Supervisory Benefit Plan, students only need to participate if they are full time or part-time employees working a minimum of 25 hours per week.

When hiring a student that is not exempted, please ensure that an Enrolment Card is completed and sent to Mercon as soon as possible.

It may be helpful for students enrolling in the benefit plan to understand that benefits may be co-ordinated with their parents’ plans. Claims for eligible expenses must be submitted through the student’s plan first. If the student is also a dependent under a parent’s plan, any remaining unpaid portion of expenses, up to 100%, may then be submitted to a parent’s plan.

Workplace Accident Claims

When an employee has suffered a workplace accident, it may give rise to a Workers’ Compensation Board (WCB) or Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) claim.

Once you receive confirmation that an employee is in receipt of WCB/WSIB benefits, please advise Mercon immediately. No further hours should be reported beyond the date of disability while the employee remains disabled.

All employees in receipt of WCB/WSIB benefits are eligible to apply for waiver of premium of their life insurance and disability benefits. All other benefits may be self-paid for up to 24 months during disability. Self-payments may be paid for by either employees or employers. It is important to note that employers in Ontario are required to pay the self-payment premiums during the first 12 months that the employee is in receipt of WSIB benefits.

If you have any questions, Mercon may be contacted at 780.455.5845, 1.877.263.7266 or administration@merconbenefits.com.

Age 65 Employees

Long Term Disability (LTD) benefits are only available to age 65. Once an employee is disabled, there is a 120 day waiting period before LTD payments commence. Therefore, a LTD claim cannot be opened in the 120 days immediately preceding the employee’s 65th birthday.

LTD premiums are no longer required for the four months prior to an employee’s 65th birthday. To avoid an overpayment situation, please notify Mercon six months prior to the employee’s 65th birthday.

Payroll Administrators’ Webinars - Manitoba

Mercon Benefit Services is pleased to offer seminars for payroll administrators in Manitoba. The seminars are designed to assist member companies with the administration of the Merit Contractors Association Benefit Plan. A representative from Mercon will be presenting information relative to plan features and administration of the Hour Bank and the Office Supervisory Benefit Plans.

Seminars will be held on the following dates:

Tuesday, May 8 - 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Wednesday, May 9 - 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

Please confirm your attendance with Val Officer at Merit’s Manitoba office either by email at val.meritmb@mymts.net, or by calling (204) 888-6202.

Payroll Administrators’ Webinars continue throughout 2012. The remaining schedule for the first half of 2012 is:
 
Thursday, May 24
Thursday, June 28

Webinars commence at 10:00 a.m. Mountain Time and last approximately 1.5 hours. If either you or your company is new to the benefit plan, or if you are looking to refresh your knowledge of the Plan and administrative procedures, the webinars will provide you with an excellent overview.

If you wish to participate in one of these webinars, please register at mercon@merconbenefits.com.

If you received this email in error, please contact

Mercon Benefit Services
104-13025 St. Albert Trail | Edmonton, AB | T5L 4H5
Call: 780.455.5845 or 1.877.263.7266 Fax: 780.455.6068
administration@merconbenefits.com