Important information
- If you have Short-Term Disability (STD) plans that integrate with the EI sickness benefit, you may wish to align your maximum benefit period to 26/27 weeks (depending on the STD elimination period).
- If your plan doesn’t have STD and your plan members claim EI benefits prior to Long-Term Disability (LTD), you may wish to align your LTD elimination period to 27 weeks (aligns with the 1-week EI wait period plus 26 weeks of payments).
- If you qualify for the Premium Reduction Program (PRP), there won’t be any immediate impact.
- PRP eligibility won’t be subject to change at this time.
If you don’t make these changes, there’s a chance your plan members will receive EI and disability benefits at the same time. When this change is in effect, you may wish to advise your plan members who receive EI sickness benefits to contact Service Canada to discuss potential impacts to their benefits.
Because this change is not mandatory, there is no need to make this change by a specific date. We understand you’ll need time to consider what is right for your benefits program. This change can be made at any time.
If you wish to adjust your STD benefit period, or LTD elimination period, you can contact your advisor or Sun Life group benefits representative. You’ll be able to discuss options and pricing. We’ll assess rate changes to revised STD and LTD plans on a plan-by-plan basis.
Questions? We’re here to help.
Please contact your Sun Life Group Benefits representative.