Benefit Coverage - ONE-T Plan Enhancements

Please note that on September 1, 2023, ONE-T will be introducing plan enhancements to provide more coverage to plan members. These include:

  • Increased coverage for mental health services - you and each covered dependent will now have $2,100 in coverage per benefit year.

  • Higher reimbursement for major dental services - you and each covered dependent will now receive 65% coverage, up to $2,500 per benefit year.

  • New coverage for anti-obesity medications.

ONE-T will also introduce new drug management initiatives to the benefits plan via the FACET Drug Prior Authorization Program. These include:

  • Introducing prior authorization for semaglutide drugs (e.g., Ozempic®)

  • Biosimilar switching - in line with changes recently adopted by Ontario and other provinces for their provincial drug programs.

Members who are taking one of the originator biologic drugs will have a transition period that will allow them to safely move to a preferred biosimilar drug, and will soon receive more details from Canada Life.

Visit their Learning Centre to find out more.

ONE-T Positive Benefit Plan Changes

ONE-T has informed all plan members that the most recent plan valuation, along with recent funding increases from the Crown for 2021-22 and 2022-23, allow for additional coverage as follows:

Remember, your Health Care Spending Account (HCSA) is a valuable benefit that provides additional flexibility when managing your unique health care needs. The increase to your HCSA credit allocation allows you to add more coverage for eligible health-related expenses – for you and your dependents – wherever you need it most.

To stay informed and actively involved in your benefits, please read all communications that come your way. If you have further questions, the ONE-T website also features a wide range of plan resources – and you can always reach out to ONE-T or the plan service providers listed below:

For claims-related inquiries: Contact Canada Life (our insurer)
1-866-800-8086 or GroupNet for Plan Members

For eligibility and enrollment inquiries: Contact Cowan (our administrator)
1-888-330-4010 or one-t@cowangroup.ca

For general questions about the Plan or Trust: info@one-t.ca

Wellness Opportunities for Staff

The Mental Health and Professional Support Services group is piloting a wellness project for all staff and has developed a calendar of wellness events and activities.

They are offering a variety of activities, some facilitated in the mornings or over the lunch hour, and most in the evenings. There are guest speakers on a variety of wellness topics, opportunities to connect in small group circles that honor diverse identities and voices and even some fun sessions – virtual cooking and paint night – as a creative outlet. As well, there are physical activities such as yoga, boxing and Tai Chi.

Please take a look at what is being offered on their monthly calendar (you will need your TDSB email to access). Most of these activities have limited spaces, so sign up early!

TDSB COVID-19 Management Response Plan

The TDSB has developed a COVID-19 case management plan following direction from the Government of Ontario and Toronto Public Health which is designed to support staff who supervise itinerant workers, Schedule II staff, Facilities Services staff, Centrally Assigned staff, as well as Board Contractors who work at non-school sites in managing COVID-19.

To review and/or save a copy of the plan for your reference, please click here.

Mandatory Vaccination Disclosure & Rapid Antigen Testing

From the Director’s Office - re: Vaccination Disclosure:

The TDSB is currently developing a mandatory vaccination procedure for all staff, trustees and visitors. While this procedure is still in the process of being finalized, the Ministry of Education requires all school board staff to disclose their vaccination status.

To enable the board to collect this required information, a new “My Vaccination Status” menu item has been added to the TDSB Health Screening App. When this item is selected, staff should select “Update Vaccination Status” and complete the form, including the uploading of verification of vaccination (vaccination receipt). We ask staff to please complete this form as soon as possible and no later than September 7, 2021 as required by the Ministry of Education. Further instructions can be found below.

It’s important to note that until a written mandatory vaccination procedure is in place, all employees, including those who are unvaccinated, must report to work as usual and follow all COVID-19 safety measures. The procedure will be announced shortly and will include a phase-in period giving unvaccinated employees an opportunity to get vaccinated. However, in the interim, those employees who do not disclose their vaccination status or are unvaccinated will need to undergo rapid antigen testing as prescribed by the government. Details on the rapid antigen tests will be communicated as soon as they are received from the Ministry.

We recognize that staff have important questions and we will continue to provide updates as information is confirmed. In the meantime, some initial details can be found on TDSBweb (Please note you may be required to be logged into TDSBweb to view this page). 

Thank you.

Instructions

 How to Attest to Being Vaccinated via App on your Smartphone

  • Log into the TDSB Health Screening App (if you have a Board-device, you may notice this “NOW Mobile” app already on your phone).

  • Click on the “My Vaccination Status” menu item, followed by “Update Vaccination Status.”

  • Carefully read each question and answer appropriately

  • Upload proof of vaccination (vaccine dose administration receipts or equivalent documents).

  • Staff must complete the form as soon as possible and no later than September 7, 2021 as required by the Ministry of Education.

  • Click on “Add Attachment” to upload proof of vaccination

How to Attest to Being Vaccinated via Health Screening Web Portal

  • Access "Safe Return to School and Work" Portal via https://tdsb.service-now.com/tswp

  • Click on the “My Vaccination Status” button, followed by “Update Vaccination Status”.

  • Carefully read each question and answer appropriately

  • Upload proof of vaccination (vaccine dose administration receipts or equivalent documents).

  • Staff must complete the form as soon as possible and no later than September 7, 2021 as required by the Ministry of Education.

  • Click on “Add Attachment” to upload proof of vaccination

Please note that should you receive a vaccination after completing the vaccination attestation form, you can update your vaccine status by clicking on the “My Vaccination Status” menu item, followed by “Update Vaccination Status.”

 If you have only received one dose of a two-dose vaccine series, you can still complete the vaccination attestation form with one dose now and then update the form 14 days after you received your second dose.

From the Director’s Office - re: Rapid Antigen Testing:

Rapid antigen testing will be required for  TDSB staff who are unvaccinated and/or have not yet completed the vaccine disclosure form, as mandated by Ministry of Education.

Starting Thursday, September 9, staff will need confirm a negative test result prior to entering the workplace. For employees who are observing holy days this week, test results will be due on Friday, September 10. This information was very recently provided by the Ministry to the TDSB and we apologize for the tight timelines.

Individuals subject to testing requirements must provide verification of negative test results at least two times per week (Tuesday morning and Thursday morning) as an added measure to protect schools from the risk of COVID-19. Beginning Thursday, September 9, 2021, all staff who are unvaccinated and/or have not completed their vaccine disclosure form will be prompted to provide rapid antigen testing results through the TDSB Health Screening App or the health screening web portal.

Rapid antigen tests are expected to be delivered to schools by September 20. Until testing kits are available to staff, the Government of Ontario is authorizing pharmacies to provide free access to COVID-19 rapid antigen testing services until Tuesday September 21, 2021. Find a participating pharmacy here. Those who have not completed the vaccine disclosure form and/or have indicated they are not vaccinated will be provided with a personalized letter to bring with them to the pharmacy.

 Individuals who test positive on a rapid test will need to get a PCR test and will need to call in sick to their immediate supervisor until a PCR test result is confirmed.

 It’s important to note that employees who fail to comply with the Ministry of Education testing requirement, may be subject to administrative or disciplinary action, up to and including termination from their employment.

 Should you have any questions, please speak with you principal or supervisor.

 Thank you.

Administrative Site Review - Status Update

The Board of Trustees passed a motion on February 3, 2021 that outlined a schedule of reports on administrative space requirements, with a final recommendation for consideration in the fall of 2022.

At present, due to the hiring of a new permanent Director of Education, this review is being placed on hold until the new Director has an opportunity to provide input into the next steps of the review.

Please see below or click here to read the full memo.

June Leadership & Learning Opportunities

The Leadership, Development, Training and Professional Learning Unit has shared a selection of upcoming leadership and learning opportunities available for Sch II staff. Take a moment to read the information below, which links directly to the Virtual Leadership and Learning Calendar. Once there, staff can also access additional learning opportunities, click on course titles for details and access registration information.

If you have any questions, contact the Leadership Development, Training and Professional Learning Unit.

Enjoy the learning and continue to stay safe!

LEADERSHIP LEARNING SERIES

To support the capacity building and professional learning of staff, the Leadership Learning Series is a compilation of webinars and self-directed learning opportunities with a focus on leading self and work effectively with others. (Target Audience: Schedule II staff & CUPE Central Support staff)

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Mastering Meetings: How to Make Meetings More Efficient and Effective
June 8, 2021 - 9:30 am to 11:00 am

Whether running the meeting or simply participating in it, this program provides the knowledge and techniques for making the most of meetings. Among other practices, participants learn to provide a specific meeting focus, achieve productivity, and use effective tools for engagement and collaboration.

Leadership Attributes: Communication, Relationship Building
Professional Accountability: Professional Development

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Skillful Collaboration: Working Successfully with Others to Achieve a Common Goal
June 15, 2021 - 10:00 am to 12:00 pm

Creative thinking, effective problem solving, increased productivity, job satisfaction, and more: the benefits of collaboration are significant, both for individuals and organizations. That is, when things run smoothly. But there is much more to collaboration than working side-by-side with people. There is an effective way to collaborate - and an ineffective way to collaborate. Believe it or not, sometimes it is the wrong choice altogether. That is because successful collaboration requires a combination of the right situation, well-hones skills, and an open mindset.

Leadership Attributes: Relationship Building
Management: Problem Solving
Professional Accountability: Professional Development

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Power of Personal Insight - Gain a Deeper Understanding of Self at Work
June 22, 2021 - 9:00 am to 10:30 am

The Power of Personal Insight is about identifying and appreciating your own behavioural style, and learning how to adapt those behaviours to create superior effectiveness in your role. This program will help provide better insight into ‘self’ by creating an awareness of your drives and needs as it pertains to an individual’s strengths, leadership, and influencing style. Being in control of your behaviours, mindset, and learning can contribute to creating positive conditions to achieve both individual and team goals.

Leadership Attributes: Conflict Management, Relationship Building
Professional Accountability: Professional Development