Full-Time Employees:
All Full-Time employees, under the age of 71, MUST be enrolled in the Plan(s) that the Employer participates in on the first day of the pay period following completion of the probationary period* of employment. If there is no probationary period, the employee must be enrolled immediately on hire.
*an Employer may choose to waive a customary probation period to allow a new employee to join MEBP at the time of hiring. It is the Employer’s option to do this and a Resolution is normally passed allowing early participation in the benefits program.
Part-Time, Seasonal and Temporary Employees:
All Part-Time, Seasonal or Temporary employees MUST be enrolled in the Plan(s) the Employer participates in on the first day of the pay period after the employee has earned 25% (one-quarter) of CPP Year’s Maximum Pension Earnings (YMPE), including overtime, in each of 2 (two) consecutive years. Refer to the CPP Year’s Maximum Pensionable Earnings Table under Part 6 – Additional Employer Information of the Employers Administration Guide.
Example John Smith was hired as a part-time employee in January 2020. John is paid on a monthly basis.
| YMPE | 25% of the YMPE | John’s total earnings (including overtime) | |
| 2020 | $58,700 | $14,675 | $14,250 |
| 2021 | $61,600 | $15,400 | $15,200 |
| 2022 | $64,900 | $16,225 | $16,000 |
| 2023 | $66,600 | $16,650 | $16,800 |
| 2024 | $68,500 | $17,125 | $17,150 *as at pay period ending August 31, 2024 |
John earned 25% of the YMPE in two consecutive years, 2023 and 2024, in the pay period ending August 31, 2024. Therefore, he is eligible for compulsory enrollment on September 1, 2024.
Exceptions to Compulsory Enrollment:
Compulsory participation in MEBP does not apply to a person who is:
1) An employee, who on their first day of employment with the Employer, is substantially a full-time student, may advise their Employer in writing that they are a full-time student and that they do not wish to participate in the Pension Plan. Waiver of Right to Participate in All Plans (Form#22) must be completed and kept on file with the Employer.
When the employee ceases to be a full-time student, they must advise the Employer. The Employer will use this date going forward to determine eligibility for participation in MEBP (see Compulsory or Voluntary Enrollment under in this section of the Manual.) This date will be considered the "Employment Start Date".
If the employee later changes their decision of waving participation and would like to participate in MEBP, even though they are still a student on substantially full-time basis, the Employer must:
i) Complete enrollment forms based on "Voluntary or Compulsory" participation requirements for MEBP.
ii) Send the original Waiver to Participate in All Plans (Form# 22) along with the enrollment forms.
Once the employee has joined the MEB Plan they cannot reverse their decision.
2) An employee who is a member of a religious group which has one of its articles of faith the belief that members of the group are precluded from being members of a pension plan (contact the MEBP Administration Office), or
3) An employee who previously retired and is currently receiving a pension payment from the MEBP pension plan and has subsequently returned to work for the same or new participating MEBP Employer. A retired member of the Municipal Employees Pension Plan, who is under age 71 and resumes employment with a participating Employer, can elect to stop receiving their monthly pension payment and start contributing to the Plan again once they are eligible. If this is the case, please have the employee contact the MEBP Administration Office.
If they choose not to stop their monthly pension payment, MEBP required contributions are not to be deducted from their earnings.