1. As a participating employer in the IWA-Forest Industry pension plan, would I be liable for any shortcoming that may occur to pensions should the Plan be unable to pay the full amount owed to pensioners ?
  2. What are the legal duties of joint plan trustees ?
  3. To perform those trustee duties , don’t the Trustees have to change from their traditional roles as advocates for the union or management ?
  4. What is an “Administrative Services Only” (ASO) Benefit Plan ?
  5. What is an Insured Benefit Plan?
  6. Which arrangement is more cost effective for a forest industry employer who has to pay the premiums ?
  7. As a FIR Benefits Only Member ,what savings should be expected from the Industry ASO arrangement ?
  8. Can an employer covered by the standard coastal collective agreements (Western Forest Products Agreement, Coast Master Logging Agreement, etc.) cover its hourly employees' benefits by enrolling them in benefits plans other than those contemplated in the collective agreement ?
  9. Can an employer enroll salaried or non-union employees in any of the employee benefits plans in the Coastal Forest Industry Benefit Package ?
  10. I have heard that one of our employees , who has been cut off the LTD benefits ,now wants to return to work at our plant? Can I get his medical information from the Plan so that I can assess his ability to return to the job ?
  11. If one of my employees is on layoff coverage but starts working with another forest industry company during his layoff ,shouldn’t they pay for his benefit coverage ?
  12. Is the "Generic Drug First" Formulary in Extended Health Care less expensive for the employer than the Unrestricted Drugs Plan (with “Bluenet “Card) ?
  13. Shouldn’t recent legislated changes to control the cost of generic drugs help keep down the cost of the Industry’s drug plan ?
  14. If a Coastal employer was to bargain a different Formulary with the USW, would FIR Labour Relations Ltd. create a separate employer group to accommodate the change within the ASO Plan ?
  15. How does the "PBC Drug Enforcement List" help control costs for the Extended Health Plan ?
  16. How did the 2009 merger of the two Coastal Health and Welfare Plans into one larger Coastal Plan save money for the employers ?
  17. Is a permanent part time employee entitled to benefit coverage under the USW-Coastal Forest Industry Health and Welfare Plan ?
  18. Do all participating companies in the USW Coastal Forest Industry Health and Welfare Plan pay the same monthly rate for their employee's coverage, or does the rate paid reflect their operation's claims experience ?
  19. If two employees covered by the USW-Industry Dental Plan become married partners, are they entitled to double coverage (dual coverage) under the Plan, by being both a member and a dependent ?

 


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