Re- Employment

Revised: May 2024 Print this page Email the link

When previous OPTrust members are employed or re-employed by an employer who contributes to the OPSEU Pension Plan (the Plan), re-enrolling in the Plan may be mandatory or optional depending on the terms of their employment. Please see Mandatory Membership and Optional Membership for more information.

Before Retirement

When a member rejoins the Plan before starting their pension, they may have various options regarding their prior service. The options available will depend on the status of the member’s entitlement for the period of prior membership:

• If the member has a deferred pension for the previous period of plan membership, OPTrust will notify the member of the available options when they rejoin the Plan.
• If the member transferred the commuted value out of the Plan, they may apply to buy back credit for the previous period of service.
• If the member transferred the service to another pension plan, they may apply to transfer the service back to the Plan.

After a Grievance

If a terminated employee is reinstated as part of a grievance settlement and rejoins the Plan as a result, the employer should contact OPTrust immediately to confirm any impact on the member’s pension.

 Important! OPTrust cannot administer a pension benefit resulting from a grievance settlement that is contrary to the provisions of the Plan or applicable legislation, including the Income Tax Act and the Pension Benefits Act. The parties should contact OPTrust in advance regarding any proposed settlement where the member’s pension benefits are at issue.

After Retirement

When a retired member is under age 71 and employed or re-employed by an employer who contributes to the Plan, re-enrolling in the Plan may be mandatory or optional, depending on the terms of the individual’s employment. Please see Mandatory Membership and Optional Membership for more information.

 Important! When a retired member is employed or re-employed by an employer who contributes to the Plan, there may be significant implications for their pension. Please refer to Working After Retirement in this manual.

 Important! If a retired member becomes a member of the Public Service Pension Plan (Ontario Pension Board) as a result of employment or re-employment, the service with one plan cannot be transferred to the other to increase the pension entitlement.