Benefits and Health Resources | Brant Community Healthcare System

Organizational Health Resources and Services

The organizational health office is located at Brantford General Hospital, E-Wing, Level 4, and can be reached at 519-751-5544 extension 5528. They are a team of knowledgeable and caring staff available to assist you. They are available Monday through Friday, and their services offered include:

Early and safe return to work programs
Referrals and appointments with BCHS' organizational health physician
Flu vaccinations
Communicable disease surveillance programs
Employee assistant program support and information
WSIB claims management
First aid
Mask fit testing

Benefits

If you have any questions regarding health and dental benefits, life insurance or pension, please contact Compensation_Benefits@bchsys.org. A member of the People and Culture team will be happy to assist you!

We have a great benefit plan for Regular Full-Time employees offered through Medavie Blue Cross. The benefit premiums are 75% paid by the hospital. Medavie Blue Cross is one of Canada’s leading benefits providers, known for their focus on the member experience and helping Canadians lead healthier, happier lives. They offer you a number of free tools and money-saving services to help make sure you get the most out of your benefits.

If you are a new Regular Full-Time employee, you are eligible to sign up for health and dental benefit coverage. You can enroll by completing the forms in your onboarding package. Benefits are effective the 1^st of the month following a one month waiting period. For instance, if you are hired on June 13^th your benefit coverage will begin on August 1^st.
If you are a current employee that is transferring from a part-time to a Regular Full-Time position, you can enroll in health and dental benefit coverage by completing the forms in your transfer package. Benefits are effective 1^st of the month following your date of transfer.

For benefit booklets, premium information and further resources, please visit the VSNet.

Part-time casual and temporary employees are not able to participate in the hospital’s extended health care & dental benefit program. Instead, they receive a percentage in lieu of benefits in order to assist with the purchase of their own personal benefit coverage.

There are a variety of benefit providers available including Healthcare Providers which is a plan that caters to benefits for casual or part-time hospital employees. For more information, please visit - Healthcare Providers Group Health Insurance.

Regular Full-Time employees also have access to the hospital's sick plan under HOODIP. Benefit details are listed below.

All Regular Full-Time employees are part of the HOODIP sick plan.
All new Regular Full-Time employees will join the sick plan after completing the waiting period. The waiting period is the period of time from your first day of work, until the day you complete three months of service.
Employees that transfer to a new Regular Full-Time position do not have a waiting period, as long as they have been with the hospital for at least three months of service.
The amount of sick pay you receive is also determined by your length of service:
- At least 3 months of service: 66 2/3 % of your earnings
- At least 1 year of service: 70% of regular earnings
- At least 2 years of service: 80% of regular earnings
- At least 3 years of service: 90% of regular earnings
- At least 4 years of service: 100% of regular earnings
Proof of total disability (i.e., medical certificate), is required if you are absent for three days or more. Such proof is also required in order for you to qualify for benefits.

Manulife is the current provider for the basic life insurance and accidental death and dismemberment benefit. These are both valued at 2x your annual salary. This benefit is 100% employer paid.

Completion of the enrollment form is mandatory for full-time employees, and the original signed copy must be returned to Human Resources. Please see the form for details on how to complete.

Frequently Asked Questions About Our Benefit Plan

When are my benefits effective?

If you are a new employee and chose to enroll in benefits, they will be effective the first of the month, after a one month waiting period. For example, if you are hired September 15^th, your benefits would be effective November 1^st.
If you are transferring to a full-time position, your benefits will be effective the first of the month, following your transfer date. For example, if you transferred September 15^th, your benefits would be effective October 1^st.

How much do I have to pay for benefits?

Benefit premiums are 75% employer paid and 25% employee paid. The monthly cost depends on your employee group. The benefit premiums and booklets are linked above.

How do I claim benefits?

On your benefit effective date, a member of the Compensation and Benefits team will reach out to you to provide your online account information and electronic ID card. You will also receive a physical benefit card in the mail within your benefit effective month. You can use the electronic or physical ID card to make claims.

Yes. There are three types of opportunities for you to enroll in Health & Dental benefit coverage.

You could apply as a late applicant

As a late applicant you must complete a form that asks medical questions for evidence of insurability. Medavie Blue Cross would advise us if they approve you for coverage and when this coverage would begin. If you are approved for coverage, there is a $250 dental restriction for the first year of coverage.

You could wait until February 1st

This is an annual open enrollment period. This means coverage is automatically approved without medical evidence of insurability. In this case, you must reach out to Human Resources with 31 days of February 1st.

You could wait until a change of life event

This is a short window of enrollment that allows you to add or change your coverage within 31 days of a change of life event. Some examples of changes of life that would qualify are listed below.

You lose other coverage
You get married
You have a baby

Coverage is automatically approved without medical evidence of insurability. The Human Resources team may require additional documentation as evidence of the change of life event.

If you have any questions or would like to exercise one of the options above, please email Compensation_Benefits@bchsys.org.

I haven't received my card yet, but have to make a claim. What do I do?

You are able to submit a receipt directly to Medavie Blue Cross once you get your card and you will be reimbursed for any eligible services that took place as of your enrollment date.

Pension Plan

You can sign-up for the pension plan at the hospital when you are hired, or you can sign-up at any time by emailing Human Resources. Once enrolled you cannot opt out of the plan. The pension plan is offered through the Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan. An electronic version of the HOOPP Handbook is available and can be found here.

Frequently asked questions about our pension plan:

How much do I pay into HOOPP?

The amount you contribute to HOOPP is based on how much you earn and the Plan's contribution rates.

How much does BCHS pay into HOOPP?

For every $1 that you contribute, your employer currently contributes $1.26.

Who is eligible to sign-up for HOOPP?

All employees. Enrollment is mandatory for all Full-Time employees and optional for part-time, casual and temporary employees.

I didn't enroll in HOOPP and now I want to. What do I do?

You can enroll in HOOPP at any time by completing the online request form . Once this request has been submitted, we will enroll you the first day of the pay period following this request.

I am retiring soon. What do I do to access my pension?

Congratulations! Please email HumanResourcesDepartment@bchsys.org confirming the effective date of your retirement. Depending on your personal scenario, you may be required to meet in person to complete some paperwork related to retiree benefits and life insurance. Human Resources will submit your retirement notice to HOOPP electronically. Following this, a HOOPP Retirement Representative will reach out to you directly to support you with next steps. HOOPP requires three months of notice of your intent to retire.

Employee Assistance Program

You and your family have access to confidential resources and support through our employee assistance program: Homewood Health. They can be contacted over the phone, online or in person, and offer assistance 24 hours a day in areas such as:

Stress management
Depression and anxiety
Alcohol and drug abuse
Marital problems
Gambling
Violence and trauma
Emotional supports

To access more resources, articles and support, create a free account at Homeweb.

Safety and Security

Security Services are provided on a 24/7 basis by Tone-Gar. Our security team will support you by providing staff escorts to and from your vehicle as needed, responding to emergency codes, removing unruly individuals, and making arrests if needed, and managing our surveillance system. The security team can be reached at extension 2210, 4949 or 4950. They also manage our parking lots and pay stations and issues employee badges.

Our Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence (SADV) team is available 24/7 to see patients and staff who are victim of sexual and or domestic violence. This team of specially trained RNs is available to provide support and answer any questions. They are available 24/7. If you would like further information, contact 519-751-5544 ext. 4449.