Salary Indemnity Plan

Before you apply, please read the eligibility requirements below.

Complete the application form in full to avoid delays in receiving your benefit.

Download the Short-Term Salary Indemnity Plan Application form.

Download the Certificate Of Attending Physician form.

Include the following documents with your application form:

• Electronic Funds Transfer form
• a void cheque
• a copy of your most recent pension statement, which you can obtain by logging in to your Teachers’ Pension Plan account.

• Intermittent Absences form
  For additional information on intermittent absences, please scroll to the bottom of the page.

Extra documents may need to be provided if your absence of work is due to a workplace accident or if you are working a reduced assignment due to illness or injury:

• WorkSafeBC Consent to Disclose Personal Information
• Accommodation Employment Application.

Submit scanned copies of your application and necessary documents to benefits@bctf.ca.

If you have further questions, please contact our office by email at benefits@bctf.ca or toll free: 1-800-663-9163, local 1921

Note: The Salary Indemnity Plan is not insured by an insurance company regulated under the Financial Institutions Act. The BCTF is exempt from the regulatory requirements of the Financial Institutions Act

A member may apply to voluntarily withdraw from the long-term portion of the Salary Indemnity Plan (SIP) once they are in receipt of a retirement pension from the BC Pension Corporation or on the earliest of the following dates:

• attained age 64 or
• reached the later of Factor 88 or age 60 or
• reached 34 years of contributory service.

In making application for withdrawal, you should ensure that in the event of serious illness or accident you have sufficient accumulated sick leave which, when combined with 120 days of SIP: short-term benefits, will protect your salary to the date when you will no longer be eligible to receive SIP: long-term benefits.

Application for withdrawal may be made during any school year in which one of the foregoing conditions has been met and upon the completion of the appropriate withdrawal form.

Withdrawal will be effective, upon approval, in September for applications submitted in that month, and applications submitted later will be effective the month following approval of the application.

Once withdrawn the long-term fee will no longer be deducted from your earnings, and you will no longer be eligible for benefits under the long-term portion of the Salary Indemnity Plan.

If you have any questions, please contact 1-800-663-9163 (ext. 1921) or by email to benefits@bctf.ca.

Download the Long-Term Withdrawal Form. Complete the application form in full.

Include the following documents with your application form:

• proof of age such as birth certificate or government identification
• proof of contributory service in BC such as a Teachers’ Pension Plan Member’s Benefit Statement
• proof of current sick leave balance, which is usually indicated on a pay statement
• proof of contributory service in a province with a reciprocal agreement (if applicable)
• proof of benefits from the Pension Corporation (if applicable)

Submit scanned copies of your application and necessary documents to benefits@bctf.ca

If you have further questions, please contact our office by email at benefits@bctf.ca or toll free: 1-800-663-9163, local 1921

Note: The Salary Indemnity Plan is not insured by an insurance company regulated under the Financial Institutions Act. The BCTF is exempt from the regulatory requirements of the Financial Institutions Act

The following people participate in the Plan:

• All active members of the Federation employed by a school board or a local association on a regular full-time or regular part-time assignment.
• All employees of the Federation, except those specifically exempted from participation in the Plan by the Federation.
• All affiliate administrative members not participating in a wage loss replacement plan may participate in the Plan for up to a maximum of 12 months, provided they apply within 30 days of appointment as an administrative officer.  

BCTF members employed on a regular full-time or part-time contract, who become disabled through injury or illness, shall be eligible for benefits immediately following the termination of sick leave and SIP short-term benefits, when no fewer than 120 days of benefits have been paid for that claim.

BCTF employees participating in the Plan pursuant to Regulation 1.1(b), and who become disabled through injury or illness, shall be eligible for benefits, or as set out in a collective agreement with the Federation, immediately following the termination of sick leave benefits.

If they have the necessary information, Canada Life often turns around a decision within a few weeks. However, it is not unusual for Canada Life to require further medical information, or a clarification on the medical information submitted, as part of the application. If this is the case, members are notified by Canada Life. It is likely Canada Life will telephone a member for an interview prior to the decision. Once a decision has been reached, the member is contacted by telephone with a follow-up letter.  

Long-Term Disability benefits are 65% of the salary of the first $40,000, 50% of the next $40,000, and 40% of the remainder of your gross salary, as reported to us by your employer. The benefit is non-taxable. In addition, the member does not pay, but receives credit for having paid, their pension, as well as local and BCTF fees.  

Yes, plan members must attend medical or vocational assessments requested or approved by Canada Life or the SIP Administrator. These assessments assist CL to determine how to manage your claim, return-to-work process, ability to perform gainful employment, etc.  

No, TTOCs are not permitted to participate in the Plan. The provincial collective agreement between the Federation and BCPSEA prohibits TTOC participation.     

All contract teachers pay the short-term portion of the SIP fee and are entitled to apply for short-term disability benefits.  

Local associations have negotiated sick leave provisions into your local collective agreement. These provisions place the onus on the employer (school board) to provide full pay, with respect to a documented illness, until the expiration of sick leave or the maximum number of sick leave days that may be used in a year has been reached. Salary Indemnity Plan regulations state that a member shall be eligible for benefits on the first working day following the termination/expiration of sick leave.  

The plan regulations are quite specific that a member shall be eligible for long-term disability benefits immediately following the termination of sick leave and SIP short-term benefits. Therefore, it is not possible to skip the short-term portion of the plan and go directly to the long-term portion. 

SIP benefits are 50% of the salary reported to us by the school district. The benefit is non-taxable. In addition, the member does not pay, but receives credit for having paid, their pension as well as local and BCTF fees.   

A contract teacher is entitled to a maximum of 120 days of short-term disability benefits, in respect of any one claim. 

SIP regulations state that your disability benefits are reduced by payments from the Workers’ Compensation Board (WCB) for the same accident or illness; Employment Insurance (maternity/parental); the Teachers’ Pension Plan; a retirement pension received under a registered pension plan, if the retirement income from that plan would be considered earnings under section 35 of the Employment Insurance Regulations; or from employment. 

Plan members pay a fee of 2.09% of their salary for the 2023–24 fiscal year (July 1­–June 30). Of this portion of a member’s salary, 0.54% is allocated to the short-term plan, while the remaining 1.55% is allocated to the long-term plan.  

As per SIP Regulation 7.3, fees, such as BCTF and Local dues, and SIP fees, are all waived while in receipt of both short and long-term benefits. However, those fees will be deducted for any portion the member is working accommodation employment.  

SIP benefits are not taxable because it is a self-insured plan. You have already paid income tax on the monthly fee deducted from your salary; therefore, the benefits cannot be taxed, and you will not receive a T4.  

Members on SIP receive full pensionable credit for the portion of time for which they receive benefits.   

Unfortunately, SIP does not cover those benefits. A member applying for SIP is encouraged to consult with their school district or local union office to inquire about maintaining benefits. In some cases, the school district will continue to cost share the benefit premiums for a period of time.   

SIP does not pay CPP and EI premiums. A member, in receipt of disability benefits, is not employed by the SIP. Therefore, CPP contributory time is not credited and disability benefits are not considered insurable earnings under the EI mandate.   

No. The only exception is when a member is required to submit to an independent medical examination (IME) by medical professionals selected by the Plan Administrator.  

SIP Regulation 3.8 states:   

Expenses incurred by a member in obtaining medical certificates or other requested information under this regulation shall be borne by the member, except that the costs of an independent medical examination required under regulation 3.4 shall be borne by the plan.  

Benefits may not be paid if you:

• are not receiving appropriate treatment as recommended by your treating physician.
• have not provided the required medical information.
• have not filed a Workers’ Compensation Board (WorkSafeBC) claim where your illness/injury is the work-related.
• do not submit to an independent medical examination by a physician when required to do so by the SIP Administrator.
• are non-compliant with a licensed physician's recommendations related to the disabling condition.
• fail to participate or co-operate in a rehabilitation program that has been recommended by a licensed physician and approved by the Salary Indemnity Plan.
• are not receiving continuing treatment for an illness which is caused by drug or alcohol use.
• serve a prison sentence or are confined in a similar institution.
• complete any work for wage or profit except as approved by us.
• commit fraud or misrepresentation.  

While you are on claim, you are expected to participate in appropriate treatment as recommended by your treating physician. You are also expected to submit to an independent medical examination by a licensed physician, when required by the Plan Administrator. You are also required to provide, at periodic intervals, medical evidence of continuing disability. 

No. All medication, diagnosis and treatment information obtained by SIP concerning your health is strictly confidential and not shared with anyone at your employer (school board), unless specifically authorized by you. 

Salary Indemnity Plan (Short-Term Portion)

If a member wishes to appeal an SIP claim decision, they need to submit their request in writing to their Case Manager or the Plan Administrator.

100 - 550 West 6th Avenue
Vancouver, BC, Canada
V5Z 4P2

The Board of Trustees of the BCTF Salary Indemnity Trust shall review and rule upon any issue of interpretation or application of the regulations, including eligibility for benefits, in any claim where a member questions the decision of the SIP Administrator.

The Board will schedule meetings throughout the year at which they will conduct appeals hearings. An appeal can usually be heard at the next appeal meeting of the Board of Trustees, as long as your appeal documents have been received at least two weeks prior to the date of the meeting.

Salary Indemnity Plan (Long-Term Portion)

How do I dispute Canada Life’s decision to deny/terminate my claim?

In the event a claimant disputes the decision of the external agency and/or the Plan Administrator regarding the medical acceptability of a claim, the dispute shall be finally and conclusively determined by a Medical Review Committee.

The Medical Review Committee shall be composed of three physicians: one designated by the claimant, one by the Salary Indemnity Plan Board of Trustees, and a third agreed to by the first two. The third physician shall act as a chairperson of the committee.