New Benefit Plan
The changes take effect the third month after your new collective agreement starts.
Through collective bargaining we negotiated improvements to the benefit coverage available to you and your eligible dependents.
In addition to some significant improvements to the schedule of benefits, the most exciting aspect of the improvements is that with the introduction of a new system, the Benefit Reserve Fund, hundreds of members and their dependents who were not previously eligible for benefits, will now be covered.
Table of Contents
- 1. Which Bargaining Units are covered?
- 2. What if I already had benefits with the Union?
- 3. What if I don’t have coverage with Global Benefits and want to enroll?
- 4. New Plan Eligibility
- 5. Global Benefits Mobile App & Web Portal
- 6. Working More than 87 hours per month
- 7. Working Less than 87 hours per month
- 8. Direct Pay Premium Option
- 9. Subsidy
- 10. What happens if I have used Direct Pay for 6 months or choose not to pay?
- 11. Benefit Plan Improvements
- 12. What is the Health Care Spending Account?
- 13. Your Benefit Card
- 14. Claim Enquiries and Contacting Global Benefits
1. Which Bargaining Units are covered?
City-Wide Toronto area janitorial units unionized with SEIU Local 2:
Alpine Toronto Citywide; Bee-Clean Toronto Citywide; BEST Toronto Citywide; BGIS SCS Toronto Citywide (excluding Queen’s Park); Commercial Cleaning Services; Compass Toronto Citywide (excluding Southbrook Retirement); C&W Toronto Citywide (excluding Sherway Gardens); Hallmark (the city-wide, not any site-specifics).
Site-Specific Toronto area janitorial units unionized with SEIU Local 2:
Amayo Maintenance; ION Facility Service; Partners Janitorial Service; Jeeves Janitorial Service.
NOTE: As contracts are negotiated and ratified, we will add bargaining units here as applicable.
If you are not certain if you are covered by this plan, contact Global Benefits.
2. What if I already had benefits with the Union?
If you were already qualified under your previous CBA, SEIU Local 2 will be adding two months of free coverage to ensure a seamless transition. Upon transitioning to the new Plan, there will be new eligibility requirements that need to be met in order to maintain coverage every month. The new requirements are outlined below.
3. What if I don’t have coverage with Global Benefits and want to enroll?
If you did not have coverage available through SEIU Local 2 in your previous CBA, under the new and improved benefit plan you may be eligible as early as the third month after your new collective agreement takes effect, provided Global Benefits has a completed enrolment form from you.
You can access the Enrolment Form by
4. New Plan Eligibility
The Plan of Benefits has introduced a new function called “the Benefit Reserve Fund”. The Benefit Reserve Fund will accumulate hours that you work in excess of the monthly requirement. Effective three months after your new CBA takes effect in 2025 , to be eligible for coverage, you must work a minimum of 87 hours per month. Once you have enrolled in the plan, you can download the Global Benefits Mobile App.
See the New Benefit Plan Basics Illustrated Quick Guide [PDF], page 2.
5. Global Benefits Mobile App & Web Portal
You can download the Global Benefits Mobile app here:
Global Benefits has created a video providing a guided tour of the mobile app.
The app allows you to create a new claim, view your Explanation of Benefits (EOB), look up providers, review your eligibility / coverage status and coverage expiry date, and more. It is important to note that the expiry date will change as you continue working (or stop working).
Most of these features are also available through the Global Benefits Web Portal.
6. Working More than 87 hours per month
If you work more than 87 hours in a month, the additional hours will go into your Benefit Reserve Fund. You can have up to a maximum of 174 hours banked (two months of Benefit Coverage) in your Benefit Reserve Fund.
See the New Benefit Plan Basics Illustrated Quick Guide[PDF], page 3.
7. Working Less than 87 hours per month
If you work less than 87 hours in any given month, the system will use any accumulated hours in your Benefit Reserve Fund to maintain your coverage. If you do not have enough hours in your Benefit Reserve Fund to get you to the required 87, you will be sent a communication from Global Benefits allowing you to pay a monthly payment to maintain your Benefit Plan. More details can be found under Direct Pay Premium below.
See the New Benefit Plan Basics Illustrated Quick Guide [PDF], page 4.
You can also qualify for benefits intermittently throughout the year by building up your Benefit Reserve Fund to at least 87 hours over the course of multiple months.
Once you reach 87 hours, you will be considered eligible for benefits. You can check your status on the Global Benefits online portal or mobile app.
See the New Benefit Plan Intermittent Coverage Illustrated Quick Guide [PDF], [coming soon]
8. Direct Pay Premium Option
If you work less than 87 hours per month or have an interruption to your working hours, and the hours in your Benefit Reserve Fund are insufficient to get you to 87, you can maintain your Extended Health Care, Drug, Dental & Life Insurance coverage by paying premium out of pocket.
(NOTE: This payment is OPTIONAL. Refer to “10. What happens if I have used Direct Pay for 6 months or choose not to pay?” below.)
You will be sent a letter from Global Benefits allowing you to make a payment for the month you are short. This option is called Direct Pay Premium.
The amount you will need to pay to continue your coverage will be calculated based on what is in your Benefit Reserve Fund and how many additional hours are needed for you to reach the monthly 87-hour requirement.
See the New Benefit Plan Basics Illustrated Quick Guide [PDF], page 5.
To maintain coverage, the Direct Pay Premium must be used the first month it becomes an option. You cannot choose to skip payment in the first month it is needed, then decide to use Direct Pay the next month. Please see “What happens if I have used Direct Pay for 6 months or I choose not to pay?” below for more information.
Example of Direct Pay Amount Calculation:
For example, if you have 50 hours in your Benefit Reserve Fund, you will need an additional 37 hours to reach 87. Global Benefits will use the current employer contribution rate in the Collective Agreement to calculate the amount you would need to pay to maintain coverage. If the amount your employer pays per hour is $1.00*, the calculation will be as follows:
$1.00 X 37 Hours = $37.00 that you will be required to pay to maintain your benefit coverage
*Please check your Collective Agreement for the applicable remittance rates at the time of Direct Pay as it may vary.
You can pay to maintain your Benefit Coverage for a maximum of 6 consecutive months.
9. Subsidy
If the calculation for your Direct Pay amount total is less than $10, the SEIU Locals 1 & 2 Benefit Trust will waive the payment and continue to provide you with benefit coverage.
10. What happens if I have used Direct Pay for 6 months or choose not to pay?
Should you reach the maximum Direct Payments (six) or choose not to Direct Pay, you will have to re-establish coverage with working hours.
This means that you will not have benefit coverage until you either work 87 hours in a month, or you build up your Benefit Reserve Fund to at least 87 hours over the course of multiple months.
Once you reach 87 hours, you will be considered eligible for benefits. You can check your status on the Global Benefits online portal or mobile app.
If you choose not to pay to maintain benefit coverage, you will continue to have Life Insurance coverage for a maximum of six months.
11. Benefit Plan Improvements
Benefit Premiums: Employee Paid $20 towards the Premium per month for Benefits, while the Employer paid the remainder. (Toronto)
Drug Coverage: 80% covered with a calendar year maximum of $5,000.
Vision Care: $250 every two years.
Paramedical Coverage: Previously covered for members only with a maximum of $50 per visit up to a maximum of $350 per calendar year per specialty.
Health Care Spending: No Health Care Spending Account.
Weekly Indemnity: No Short-Term Disability benefits.
Out of Country Coverage: No OCC benefits.
Benefit Premiums: 100% of the cost for the Premium is Employer Paid.
Drug Coverage:
80% with no maximum on most Prescription Drugs.
- (NEW!) Smoking Cessation is now covered up to a maximum of $500 per lifetime.
- (NEW!) Erectile Dysfunction Drugs are now covered up to $500 per calendar year.
Vision Care: $300 every two years.
Paramedical Coverage: Coverage for members and all eligible dependents listed on the plan with a maximum of $350 per calendar year per specialty. Coverage no longer limited to $50 per visit.
Health Care Spending: $200 Health Care Spending Account per Certificate Number per calendar year.
Weekly Indemnity: p to 26 weeks of coverage provided you are eligible at the date of disability.
Out of Country Coverage: Out of Country Coverage benefits.
Benefit
Previous Collective Agreement
New 2025 CBA
Effective 3rd Month
Benefit Premiums
Employee Paid $20 towards the Premium per month for Benefits, while the Employer paid the remainder. (Toronto)
100% of the cost for the Premium is Employer Paid.
Drug Coverage
80% covered with a calendar year maximum of $5,000.
80% with no maximum on most Prescription Drugs.
- (NEW!) Smoking Cessation is now covered up to a maximum of $500 per lifetime.
- (NEW!) Erectile Dysfunction Drugs are now covered up to $500 per calendar year.
Vision Care
$250 every two years.
$300 every two years.
Paramedical Coverage
Previously covered for members only with a maximum of $50 per visit up to a maximum of $350 per calendar year per specialty.
Coverage for members and all eligible dependents listed on the plan with a maximum of $350 per calendar year per specialty. Coverage no longer limited to $50 per visit.
Health Care Spending Account
No Health Care Spending Account.
$200 Health Care Spending Account per Certificate Number per calendar year.
Weekly Indemnity
No Short-Term Disability benefits.
Up to 26 weeks of coverage provided you are eligible at the date of disability.
Out of Country Coverage
No OCC benefits.
Out of Country Coverage benefits.
Benefits at a Glance.
12. What is the Health Care Spending Account?
A Health Care Spending Account is a type of flexible benefit supplemental program. It helps cover items once you have exhausted your coverage totals in prescription drugs and medications, vision devices, and dental. Other medical expenses may also be eligible.
The current annual Health Care Spending Account limit is $200 every calendar year per family with a carry forward provision of one calendar year. You can accumulate up to a maximum of $400 per family across any two years.
Items that can be claimed in the HCSA are deemed to be any eligible medical expenses that can be claimed on your income tax and as defined by CRA. Please visit the website to see a list of covered items.
For clarity – you DO NOT need to claim these items in your tax return. This page simply provides you with a list of eligible items.
13. Your Benefit Card
You can continue to use your existing Benefit Card. If you do not have a Benefit Card, please contact Global Benefits as we may be missing an enrolment form from you. Make sure they have your current mailing address.
You can use your SEIU Locals 1 & 2 Benefit Card at any of the below providers:
- Pharmacies
- Dental Offices
- Paramedical Practitioners (i.e. Massage Therapist, Chiropractor, Acupuncture, etc.)
- Optometrists (i.e. Eye Exams and Prescription Glasses)
If your Service Provider accepts direct billing, they will be able to receive payments directly as per your Plan’s Schedule of Benefits. Please note that a list of locations that are currently registered for direct billing can be located on the Mobile App by clicking ‘Provider Search Tool’ on the Home Page.
Global Benefits has a video on how to use the Provider Search Tool.
14. Claim Enquiries and Contacting Global Benefits
For enquiries about your claims and eligibility, contact the Plan Administrator, Global Benefits. No personal information regarding any of your claims will be shared. You can view the Privacy Policy using Global Benefits online access.
General Inquiries Email: seiubenefittrust@globalben.com
Claims incurred as of July 1st, 2025
If you do not use your Benefit Card for Direct Billing all claims should be submitted to Global Benefits:
By Mail:
Global Benefits – Claims Department
901-191 The West Mall
Toronto ON M9C5K8
By Mobile App or Website:
www.globalben.com
By Email: seiubenefittrust@globalben.com
Plan Member Responsibilities
Make sure they have your current mailing address.
If you experience a change in your family status (birth, death, marriage, divorce, etc.), you must advise your plan administrator within 31 days of the event.
Electronic Claims Payments (Direct Deposit)
If you wish to authorize Electronic Claims Payments that go directly into your Bank Account, you can sign up for this service on the Global Benefits App.