Trust Academic Benefits Stabilization Fund

In 2001, the Board of Governors designated certain categories of trust/research funded employees as academic staff at the University of Alberta. On July 1, 2006, a Collective Agreement was signed and with this agreement, certain benefits provisions became mandatory. Because these benefits may cause an unforeseen issue for individual trust-holders, a Trust Academic Benefits Stabilization (TABS) Fund was established.

Overall responsibility and matters of policy for the program will reside with the Office of the Provost and Vice-President (Academic).

For further information regarding TABS, refer to the Trust/Research Academic Staff Agreement .

Application for Support

Applications for support from this fund are made by completing the TABS Claim for Support application form .

Assessment of Application

Benefit Staff Administration will make a preliminary assessment, and has the power to approve funding in instances where the application clearly falls within the prescribed areas of support. Applications that fall outside of the prescribed areas will be forwarded to the Office of the Vice-President (Research) for assessment. In cases of further questions, the Fund Advisory Committee (FAC) will be asked to assess the application and determine the appropriate course of action.

Resolution of Disputes of Assessment

Where a Trust-holder disagrees with a decision of Academic Staff Administration, the reason(s) may be submitted in writing to the Funds Advisory Committee for review.

Eligibility

Trust-holders may apply to TABS for support for their trust/research academic staff who are eligible to receive the following benefits:

Childbirth leave top-up benefits

  • up to a 15 week maximum or to the end of the appointment.

Medical leave

  • Trust-holder will cover first four weeks (20 working days) - TABS will cover up to remaining 22 weeks of entitlement or to end of appointment.

Pay-in-lieu of notice provisions in excess of a three month period

  • Assistance will only be considered where the lay-off is unexpected or unplanned. All attempts must be made to find the employee alternate employment and all other funds exhausted before applying to the fund. Where contracts specifically identify terms relating to lay-off or where there are predetermined wind-up plans, this fund can not be accessed.

Premiums

The funds for TABS are financed through benefits premiums collected as a percentage of the salary of academic staff paid from trust accounts. The amount of the percentage will be set annually by the fund advisory committee.

Effective December 1, 2008 the percentage will be 1.5%.

Example (salary of $47,547)

1.5% x $47,547 = $713.00/year