B. Membership Assistance
Funding for membership assistance under the Employee Assistance Program, within the Programs and Services budget, may be used for, but not be limited to, the following:
1. Assisting members enrolled in the Employee Assistance Program with expenses which are not covered under other benefit programs such as medicare or group insurance or private insurance, and which are incurred while attending counselling or rehabilitation sessions in accordance with the following guidelines:
- Subject to clause c) below, return out-of-town transportation from the member’s residence to counselling/rehabilitative services – 70% of public transportation, buses, taxis, or economy airfare or 12¢ per kilometre in a private vehicle. It being understood that if public transportation is the preferred choice, it is to be by the most economical transportation service available unless otherwise medically necessary. [Jan/17-18/08][JC/Apr/08] [2009 BGM]
- Subject to clause c) below, in-town travel from the place of residence in town to the treatment centre – 70% of one in-town return trip per day via public transportation or taxi when private transportation is not available and public transportation/taxi is required. [Jan/17-18/08] [JC/Apr/08] [2009 BGM]
- Membership assistance for transportation costs to avail of counselling/rehabilitative services shall not exceed a total of 50% of the member’s total Employee Assistance Program funding limit as set out in paragraph (g) herein. Other than in exceptional circumstances approved by an Employee Assistance Program transportation costs to the counselling/rehabilitative services located nearest to the member’s residence shall be eligible for assistance. [Jan/17-18/08] [JC/Apr/08] [2009 BGM]
- 50% of registration fee in an approved and properly accredited rehabilitation program. [Jan/17-18/08] [JC/Apr/08] [2009 BGM]
- 50% of professional services rendered by an approved and properly accredited rehabilitation treatment counsellor, to a maximum of $40.00 per hour for individual counselling, effective as of November 1, 2001, and $15.00 per hour for group counselling. One hundred percent (100%) of the “no show” fee billed by the counsellor will be borne by the referred member. [Oct/12-13/01] [JC/Nov/01] [2003 BGM] [Jan/17-18/08][JC/Apr/08] [2009 BGM]
- Membership assistance shall only be available in relation to counselling/treatment provided by properly accredited programs and/or service providers as approved by the Employee Assistance Program Coordinators. Approved programs and service providers must submit proof of professional liability insurance coverage annually to the Employee Assistance Program. [Jan/17-18/08] [JC/Apr/08] [2009 BGM]
- Funding limits for membership assistance are as follows:
• $5,000 for members who enrolled in the program before August 23, 1990;
• $1,000 for members who enrolled in the program after August 23, 1990;
• $2,000 for members who enrolled in the program on or after November 1, 2001.
• $3,000 for members who enrolled in the program on or after January 1, 2022.
• Members enrolled in the program between August 23, 1990 and December 31, 2021, will have their limit raised to $3,000 for expenses incurred as of January 1, 2022.
• Members for whom the total expenses paid have reached the applicable funding limit may request that their case be reviewed by the Membership Benefits and Services Committee. [Oct/12-13/01] [JC/Nov/01] [2003 BGM] [Jan/17-18/08] [JC/Apr/08] [2009 BGM] [Mar/03/22] - These guidelines are to be applied for rehabilitation sessions both in the province and out of the province.
2. Expenses incurred by the members as per (a) above, shall be paid only with the approval of Programs and Services.
3. NLTA and the employer shall jointly share the cost of operating the employee assistance program and rehabilitating members in need with the goal of 100% provincial government funding. [Nov/4-5/93] [1994 AGM]
