Buying service for arrears
Find out what to do if there was a period when you and your employer should have contributed to the pension plan but didn’t.
Enrolment arrears and you
You may have enrolment arrears if there was a period when you did not contribute because you were not correctly enrolled in the plan.
You might have enrolment arrears if:
- Your enrolment in the plan was mandatory, but your employer did not deduct pension contributions from your paycheque when required to do so
- Your enrolment was optional, and you chose to join the plan but didn’t start contributing from your date of eligibility
- Your enrolment (on or after April 1, 2000) was optional, but you didn’t sign the waiver to opt out; you were automatically enrolled but didn’t start contributing
- You signed the waiver to opt out and later decided to enrol, but didn’t start contributing on the date you enrolled
- You worked for more than one employer that participated in the plan at the same time but did not contribute to the plan through all your employers
If enrolment arrears are identified, your employer is required to immediately pay their share.
If you are an active plan member at the time enrolment arrears are identified, you may decide if you want to pay for your share.
If you pay your share, you will get credit for:
- The full pensionable service (this affects your monthly payment amount in retirement)
- The full contributory service (this is used to determine if your pension will be reduced and by how much)
If you do not pay your share, you will get credit for:
- Half the pensionable service
- The full contributory service