Supporting members during the COVID-19 outbreak

This is an unprecedented time for HOOPP members. The tireless commitment of healthcare workers to serving our communities during the COVID-19 outbreak is truly inspiring. We want to express our deepest thanks for all that you are doing.

To help keep you informed, we have created this page and will update it with important HOOPP messages, service updates and answers to commonly asked member questions.

"We are closely monitoring the evolving COVID-19 (coronavirus) situation and know that this is an extremely challenging time for you as you work tirelessly to serve our communities. We would like to express our deepest gratitude to all our members – the brave and hardworking individuals who are on the front lines dealing with the COVID-19 outbreak. Your professionalism and commitment to providing the care and support your patients need during this time is inspiring and greatly appreciated."

Read the full message from Steven McCormick, Senior Vice President, Plan Operations

April 24: In-person pension seminars will be temporarily delivered as webcasts

Please note, in response to guidance provided by the Public Health Agency of Canada relating to mass gatherings, our pension seminars will temporarily be offered as webcasts instead of in-person events. If you had previously registered for an in-person pension seminar, you will be notified of any changes by email. Register for an upcoming webcast here.

April 23: Delay in delivery of cheques

We are committed to ensuring payments from HOOPP are received in a timely manner. However, due to the current environment, we are experiencing delays in processing and mailing cheques. If you are expecting a payment by cheque, please contact our Member Services team to explore other options.

April 16: Continued HOOPP benefits for members on new unpaid emergency leaves

During these challenging times we understand members may experience disruptions in their regular work, but we want to ensure your pension is protected and can continue to grow. For that reason, HOOPP will provide any member that takes an unpaid emergency leave, or is within the first 15 weeks of an unpaid health leave, with contributory service at no cost to them or their employer.

This means members can continue building their pension based on what they normally would have earned in the Plan, during the unpaid leave. This benefit will apply for the period of emergency declared by the government of Ontario.

We will be providing employers with more administrative information to support this change in the coming weeks.

April 16: Extension for contribution payments for leaves of absence

To provide continued support for members, we have extended the timeline to make pension contributions following a leave of absence. The current timeline of 6 months from the end of a leave has been extended to 12 months and applies to all leaves of absence.

For members returning to work following a leave, this change will provide additional time and flexibility to plan and coordinate their payment with employers. HOOPP will provide employers with additional information and resources to help them implement this extension.

To minimize any impact to your RRSP contribution room, we recommend that for leaves that end in 2020, you make your pension contributions before April 30, 2021.

April 3: Extending deadlines on applications for buyback and disability benefits

To provide our members with more flexibility in the current environment, we have extended the deadline to submit the application and funds to complete a buyback, as well as the deadline for applications for disability benefits. Please contact our Member Services team for details.

March 18: Submitting documents to HOOPP

During this challenging time, we strongly request that you do not send documents by mail. Please upload them using the Secure Messages feature on HOOPP Connect, or by fax at 416-369-0225. To explore other options, please contact our Member Services team.

March 14: Pension seminar replaced with live webcast

Please note, our March 14th pension seminar was offered as a webcast instead of an in-person event. To register for a future webcast, select the link below.
> View our upcoming webcasts

March 12: Suspension of in-person meetings with HOOPP

To help protect the health and wellness of our members and our employees, HOOPP has temporarily suspended all in-person pension meetings. If you have any questions, please contact our Member Services team at 416-646-6445 or 1-877-43-HOOPP(46677).

Is the amount of my HOOPP pension going to change?

No, your HOOPP pension will not change and is calculated according to HOOPP’s pension formula.

Is my pension going to be impacted by COVID-19?

While COVID-19 has had considerable impact on financial markets and the economy, HOOPP has an excellent track record of successfully weathering market volatility and downturns.

HOOPP manages and invests for the long term, maintaining a large and very diverse portfolio, and applying investment strategies that ensure our assets match our liabilities. As such, we are well positioned to deliver on the pension promise.

I’m retired, but want to return to work to help, what are my options?

Retired members who rejoin the workforce at a HOOPP employer have two options:

You can continue to receive your pension along with your employment income and not re-enrol in HOOPP; or
You can temporarily suspend your monthly pension payments and re-enrol in HOOPP.

If you have any questions, please contact our Member Services team at 416-646-6445 or 1-877-43-HOOPP(46677).

What precautions is HOOPP taking?

Following the advice of Canadian health experts and authorities, HOOPP has taken the following precautions to mitigate the risk of potential spread of COVID-19:

Member events/meetings: We are replacing all our in-person member events and meetings – both inside and outside the HOOPP offices – with webcasts, phone calls and/or online communications. Timely communications will be shared with members/registrants and employers regarding any changes that are made to upcoming events.
HOOPP staff: We implemented a work-from-home policy for all employees who can perform their functions remotely, and suspended all business travel.

Will COVID-19, or your precautionary measures, impact HOOPP’s ability to function day-to-day?

No. HOOPP will continue to function effectively and our Member Services team will remain available to support our members’ needs.

Will the Ontario government’s temporary pay increase and lump-sum payments be treated as pensionable earnings?

The Ontario government recently announced a temporary increase to the hourly wage for front-line workers such as those working in long-term care, retirement homes, community care, home care and some hospitals.  Additionally, those working more than 100 hours per month will receive a monthly lump-sum payment for four months.

HOOPP defines pensionable earnings as the regular wages or straight-time pay that you receive as part of your base earnings.  Since the pandemic payments are temporary in nature and not part of your regular base earnings, they are not pensionable and you will not make HOOPP contributions on these payments.

Where can I go if I have questions about my pension?

Our Member Services team is always willing to answer your questions. You can reach us at (416) 646-6445 or 1-877-43-HOOPP(46677), Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

HOOPP Connect also remains available to provide you with detailed information about your pension, when and where you need it.

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.