You must have at least five years of pensionable service to be entitled to receive a pension from the Teachers' Pension Plan.

Pensions are calculated based on your total accrued pensionable service to the date of retirement, i.e., all purchased pensionable service is included in the calculation of the pension benefit.

You should be fully aware of the meaning of the term "worked service," which refers to all pensionable service that any teacher might have acquired through the provisions of the TPP Plan Text, as follows:

• actual teaching service,
• maternity leave,
• deferred salary leaves,
• paid educational leaves,
• strike time that has been purchased,
• approved unpaid leaves purchased as worked service, and/or
• periods of absence for university study purposes that have been purchased as (or converted to) worked service, etc.

The one exception is that of university study buy back. This is not eligible for inclusion in your worked service.

Review your Financial History under Personal Information in myPENSION on this website to confirm your total Pensionable Service. For details of your years of pensionable service, see your Annual Benefit Statement in My Documents under the Documents and Info section of myPENSION.

If you have any questions on your years of service, contact us at 709-793-8772 or email us at memberservices@tppcnl.ca.

Did you know – during your career, if you take a leave of absence, it creates a gap in your pensionable service years? It is because during these times you are not contributing to your Teachers’ Pension Plan. However, many types of leave may be eligible to be bought back anytime during your teaching career.

This purchase of service would give you more pensionable service, a higher pension and in some circumstances, help you reach retirement eligibility sooner. Taking this step could not only get you closer to retirement, but also to having a higher pension when you do retire.

• Maternity Leave
• Parental/Adoption Leave
• Authorized Leave without Pay
• Unpaid Education Leave
• Unpaid Sick Leave

• Single payment by personal cheque or transfer from your RRSP
• Payroll deductions, if applicable, over a time frame equal to the length of the service purchased

• The best time to buy back service is within 180 days of your return to work from that leave.
• Your employer will match contributions if the purchase contract is signed within 180 days.
• After 180 days, you will pay the full actuarial amount.
• There may be income tax implications. Check with the CRA for more details regarding this.

To discuss your options about purchasing unpaid leave, contact us at 709-793-8772 or memberservices@tppcnl.ca.

The TPP Plan Text states that a teacher shall be retired "when he or she is suffering from a physical or mental impairment that prevents the teacher from performing the duties of the employment in which he or she was engaged before the commencement of the impairment, provided that the impairment is medically certified to the satisfaction of the administration as likely to be permanent."

Provided you have accumulated not less than five years of pensionable service, you will receive a pension calculated on the basis of your total pensionable service.

If you have not accumulated five years of pensionable service, then you are entitled to receive a refund of your contributions in accordance with the TPP Plan Text.

You must apply directly to the TPPC, include an assessment by your attending physician and complete a form consenting to the release of medical information. This will allow the medical consultants retained by the TPPC to contact your physician(s) and make a decision regarding your eligibility for benefits. Please be assured that all consultations are performed on a strictly confidential basis.

When applying for disability pension you must advise the school board at the time the application is made. Of particular note, this is not a resignation but a required advisory under the collective agreement.

Contemplating retirement? Teachers are required by the collective agreements to give appropriate notice, in writing, to their school board.

The required period of notice is as follows:

1. one month notice if the retirement is to be effective any time prior to the Christmas recess,
2. three months notice if the retirement is to be effective following the Christmas recess to the end of the school year.

It is important that you clearly establish eligibility for pension benefits before submitting a resignation, by contacting the TPPC. If you resign and cannot subsequently establish eligibility for your pension benefit, then you will be without both salary and pension benefit.

Follow these steps:

1. Prior to resignation, establish your eligibility date for benefit(s) at a pre-retirement seminar or by contacting the TPPC;
2. Submit your resignation to the school board, making sure to respect the required period of notice;
3. Make your application for pension benefit(s).

If you die before accumulating at least five years of pensionable service, the death benefit payable will be a refund of your contributions, plus interest.

If you have accumulated at least five years of pensionable service, the death benefit payable will be the greater of the commuted value of the pension benefit, or a refund of your contributions and interest.

If you die after accumulating five years of pensionable service, your Principal Beneficiary (spouse/cohabiting partner) will have the following options:

The lifetime survivor benefit is integrated with CPP as at the date upon which the deceased would have reached age 65.

If there is no surviving spouse/partner, other death benefits may be available to eligible dependent children, other dependents or designated beneficiaries, depending upon individual circumstances.

You can add, view or change your current beneficiaries at any time using your myPENSION account available on the menu above.