A Major Asset About Your MTS Pension Plan How Does My Pension Plan Work? How Do I Become A Member Of The Plan? Who Contributes What? What Will I Get From The Plan? Can You Give Me An Example? When Can I Retire? How Is My Pension Paid? Does My Pension Offer Any Inflation Protection? What Happens If I Leave MTS Before I Retire? What If I Become Disabled? Are My Survivors Protected? What If I Need More Information?

You are in: The Plan : Publications : Employee Booklet : How Do I Become A Member Of The Plan?   How Do I Become A Member Of The Plan? MTS believes in the importance of retirement planning. It should come as no surprise then that the Pension Plan is open to the majority of MTS employees. Whether you are a regular full-time or part-time worker, whether you are a casual or term employee, chances are you qualify to participate in the Plan. Here’s how it works. Regular employees As a regular full-time or regular part-time employee, you will automatically become a member of the Plan on your date of hire. A regular employee is defined as any person who is employed on a regularly scheduled basis as determined by the Participating Employer. Participating Employer refers to MTS and those associated corporations the Company has invited to participate in the Pension Plan. The Plan is currently open to the employees of MTS, MTS NetCom Inc., MTS Mobility Inc. and MTS Advanced Inc. Term or casual employees As a term or casual employee, you may request to join the Plan at any time. All you have to do is provide written notice to the Plan administrator. Your membership will begin on the first day of the pay period in the month following the month in which you apply. If you do not elect to join the Plan, you cannot buy-back this service at a later date. Depending on whether you’re a term or casual employee, however, you will automatically become a member of the Plan under one or both of the conditions listed below. Term or casual employees Condition of membership Term employees You will become a member of the Plan once you complete one full year of continous employment with a Participating Employer. Your membership will begin on the first day of the pay period immediately following your one-year anniversary date. Term and casual employees You will become a member of the Plan once you earn at least 25% of the year's maximum pensionable earnings (YMPE) in any two consecutive calendar years. In this case, your participation will begin on the first day of the pay period in the month following the month in which your earnings equal 25% of the YMPE. Once you become a member of the Plan, your membership will continue, even if you earn less than the 25% level in future years. The YMPE is simply a limit set by the federal government each year to determine maximum Canada Pension Plan (CPP) contributions and benefits. In 2000, the YMPE is $37,600. Twenty-five per cent of the YMPE, therefore, is $9,400. Note: If you were a member of the CSSF and you were working for a Participating Employer on January 1, 1997, you automatically became a member of the MTS Pension Plan effective January 1, 1997. You also became a member of the MTS Plan at that time if you are a former MTS employee entitled to a deferred pension under the CSSA or if you are an MTS retiree. Copyright 2004. All rights reserved.