GDPC: Retirement of Support Staff Members

Provisions for the retirement of support staff members are contained in the Pension (Municipal) Act.  The cost of superannuation requires deductions on a monthly basis and is paid by both the employee and the Board of School Trustees (the “Board”).  Deductions are made routinely once a month from the paycheque of each employee who qualifies. These contributions, together with the Boards contributions, are paid to the superannuation fund as established by the Pension (Municipal) Act.  The Act provides for a maximum retirement age of 65 years and for an extension by Board motion at the request of individual employees for a period of up to five years. 

The Board and the employee concerned are both notified by the government three months prior to the employee reaching the mandatory retirement age of 65.  The employee may request to be continued until the end of the school year in which the employee reaches the age of 65 and such extension is automatically granted as a policy of the Board.  The Boards rationale for such an extension is the provision of continuity in educational support services during the school year. It has become a provision of some collective agreements. 

Employment beyond Retirement Age 

Support staff members fall into two categories.  The majority are in the category that has a mandatory retirement age of 65 while a small minority is composed of female staff who chose to retire at age 60 when given an option in 1971.  At that time, the municipal superannuation was extended to include female employees.  The group is known as Group III employees. 

Group III employees may request an extension beyond the age of 60 up to the age of 65 without qualification.  The Board policy is to grant such employees this extension automatically. 

Other employees may request an extension for employment beyond retirement age,  such extension to be dealt with under Board policy. 

When extensions are granted for Group III employees, the employees concerned remain in their positions, retain their seniority, and continue to receive all fringe benefits earned and to which they were entitled before they reached the age of 60.  Employees employed beyond the age of 65 continue to receive benefits except superannuation, group life, and  employment insurance. 

Employees who, after retirement, wish to apply for temporary, full-time, part-time, or casual employment with the Board may be rehired at the discretion of the Board for defined periods.  Such employees receive a percentage in lieu of all fringe benefits. 

The extensions of employees who have reached the mandatory retirement age of 65 shall be reviewed at least once during each school year.  The Board may require a medical examination at the time of each review prior to authorizing a further extension. 

DMT Responsibility: AS-HR