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HOOPP
Members Life Changes Health Leaves & Disability Benefits Disability Pension

Disability Pension

A HOOPP disability pension is a benefit that is available to members who become totally and permanently disabled as a result of a physical illness or injury or mental illness. A disability pension provides an immediate unreduced pension that can be begin at any age under 65 and will be paid for the rest of your life.

If you are placed on health leave by your employer that is expected to last longer than 15 weeks, you are eligible to apply for disability benefits from HOOPP.

Who is eligible to apply for a HOOPP disability pension?

To be eligible for a HOOPP disability pension, you must:

  • be assessed by HOOPP as being totally and permanently disabled
  • be on an employer-approved health leave or in receipt of free accrual
  • have contributed to the Plan before your date of disability
  • be under age 65
  • have less than 35 years of contributory service

 

How can I apply for a disability pension?

You will need to provide HOOPP with medical evidence of your disability using two medical forms:

  • Application for Disability Benefits (Member): Members complete this form for their application for a disability retirement or a disability benefit. For a copy of this form, please sign in to HOOPP Connect.
  • Attending Medical Practitioner’s Assessment: A member’s physician completes this form to provide HOOPP with medical information. For a copy of this form, please sign in to HOOPP Connect.

 

When can I apply for a disability pension?

You can apply for a disability pension immediately if you become disabled and are on an employer-approved health leave, or if you are receiving free accrual of pension benefits. Learn more about free accrual.


If you are approved for a disability pension

If you are approved and you choose to begin receiving a disability pension, you will be required to end your employment with all of your HOOPP employers. Each of them must submit a Retirement Notice to HOOPP indicating your intention to commence a disability pension within 60 days of receiving the approval letter. If you are not employed, HOOPP will provide you with the documents to complete to start your disability pension.

Your pension payments will begin on the first day of the month following either the date you end your employment or the date your disability retirement application is approved by HOOPP – whichever comes later. If you are not employed, your disability pension will start on the first day of the month following the date your application is approved.


Choosing a disability pension or free accrual

If HOOPP assesses that you are totally and permanently disabled based on the medical evidence that you have provided, you will have the following options:

  • receive, or continue to receive free accrual of pension benefits
  • begin receiving a HOOPP disability pension
  • apply for a retirement pension, if you are 55 or older

A disability pension can begin at any age and is not subject to early retirement reductions. A disability pension is based on the contributory service you have built in the Plan (including any free accrual you may have received) up to your disability retirement date.

Like a retirement pension, a disability pension is paid for the rest of your life. It also includes a survivor benefit if you have a qualifying spouse. If you pass away with five years of starting your disability pension, your qualifying spouse will receive the same monthly benefit as you for the rest of the five-year period. When the five-year period ends, your spouse will receive a monthly pension of 66 2/3% of your disability pension. Unlike a retirement pension, there is no option to increase the survivor benefit to 80% or 100% of your benefit.

If you do not have a qualifying spouse, your disability pension will include a 15-year guarantee period. This means that if you pass away before receiving 15 years of payments, your beneficiary(s) will receive a benefit that represents the value of the balance of your 15-year guarantee period.

It is important to note that a disability pension does not come with a bridge benefit, but an early retirement pension does. Members over the age of 55 who are eligible for an early retirement pension should understand their options fully when choosing between a disability pension and an early retirement pension.

Weigh Your Decision Carefully

Be sure to weigh the pros and cons of both the free accrual and disability pension options before making a decision. Before starting a disability pension, you must resign from all of your HOOPP employers and, by doing so, you may lose other employment-related benefits as a result. Please be sure to discuss this decision with your employer. HOOPP also recommends you seek financial advice when making this decision.

Appeal


If you apply for a disability pension and your application is denied, you can appeal the Plan’s decision within 60 days. Simply contact HOOPP if you wish to do so. Appeals are carried out by an independent medical examiner (IME) whose costs are covered by HOOPP. However, you are responsible for paying for all transportation costs associated with attending the IME appointment. If you miss the medical appointment with the IME, you will be responsible for the cost of the missed appointment.

This document provides a simplified overview of HOOPP's benefits based on the terms of the HOOPP Plan Text at the time of publication. From time to time, HOOPP may amend the HOOPP Plan Text. In cases where the information provided in this document differs from that contained in the HOOPP Plan Text, the HOOPP Plan Text will govern. More details, including the full HOOPP Plan Text and a complete description of the Plan and its benefits, can be found on hoopp.com.