Group Benefits Plan - Centres

The Manitoba Child Care Association has selected Canada Life as the official supplier of our  Group Benefits Plan.  The program for our members is exclusive to the MCCA and takes advantage of our considerable buying power. We are pleased  to report that many MCCA members are already taking advantage of the unique program that is designed to save our members money on their employee benefits programs – permanently.

MCCA’s Group Benefit Plan is designed exclusively for early childhood educators, child care assistants, and licensed family child care providers and provides the most comprehensive plan available to centre employees and family child care providers. The plan includes individual or family coverage, which allows you to choose the appropriate level of protection whether you are single, have a family, or are integrating coverage with your partners plan.

 Child care centres can choose from 3 different plan design options and can have a 3 or 6 month waiting period for new employees to enroll.  There is a 6 month waiting period for licensed family child care providers.

Our Canada Life group benefits plan also includes a retiree plan for members that have been enrolled for two previous years and are leaving the child care workforce due to retirement.

MCCA Makes Choosing a Group Benefits Plan Easy! 

Group benefits is a complex employee benefit and one that most centre directors know little about.  There are many choices, and even knowing the important questions to ask is unfamiliar territory for most ECEs.   MCCA has a  Child Care Benefits Committee with expertise in group benefits to oversee  plan design, receive and review  quarterly reports from plan agents, and monitors to ensure our plan remains affordable to the child care sector while also providing the coverage most needed.   Committee members are also plan members and plan administrators.

Who is eligible?

• Licensed child care centres that are MCCA members
• You are a professional or child care assistant MCCA member at a participating centre
• You are a new employee at a participating centre
• You have completed a minimum of three months (or 6 months depending on centre’s policies) of continuous service at your centre
• You are employed for a minimum of 20 hours/week

All of the above criteria must be met before enrolling in the plan, OR –

• You are a licensed family child care MCCA member
• You provide care for a minimum of 20 hours/week
• You enroll in the group benefits within 6 months of becoming licensed

Group Benefit Plan Schedule or Benefits 

• Basic Life Insurance
• Accidental Death, Dismemberment
• Short Term Disability Income Benefits (Child Care Centres only)
• Long Term Disability Income Benefits

Employees and Dependents

• Health care
• Dental care
• Vision care
• Group Optional Life Insurance (Member or Spouse)

The plan offers either individual or family coverage. If your dependents (children and /or spouse) are not covered under any other plan they automatically will be covered under your plan at the family rate. If your spouse (legal or common law) has a plan that provides you with sufficient health and dental care coverage, you may opt out of that portion of the MCCA plan. You can be covered for life and disability insurance at a lower premium.

Most participating child care facilities choose option 1.  Scroll down for the plan booklet.    Child care centres have other options for less coverage and lower rates.  To obtain a centre group benefits enrollment kit or other inquiries, please contact our dedicated HUB service team at mbserviceteam@hubinternational.com

Some unique features of this plan are:

• Permanent Full-Time employees working 20+ hours per week are eligible.
• Unlimited coverage on Lifeworks  Employee Assistance Program, counseling for employees and all family members.
• Total Wellness Program – available to you and your eligible dependents.
• Continuation of health care benefits to dependents for 2 years after an employee’s death
• Full Out of Country Coverage – + $5,000,000 per insured of Trip Cancellation Insurance.
• Extension of Benefits while on maternity leave, leave of absence, or during your centre’s summer closure.
• You can register for online claims processing and direct deposit
• There is health and dental coverage available for retired members who were on the group benefits plan for a minimum of 2 years
• HealthConnected

Here is the general overview of the plan availability:

To ensure you have a plan that best meets your centre’s needs, 3 plan options are available with the flexibility to add Short-Term Disability and elect either a 3 or 6-month waiting period.

Here is the plan booklet for those who have option 1: (which includes short term disability)

Here is the plan booklet for those who have option 2: (which includes short term disability)

Here is the plan booklet for those who have option 3: (which includes short term disability)

Here is the plan booklet for retirees:

Plan members can visit the Canada Life website for enrollment and claim forms or to log in to use eprofile  by clicking here

For current members on Canada Life, changes can be made by completing this form this group coverage change form and submitting it to their Plan Administrator.

Group Benefits Plan - Family Child Care Providers

An optional  group benefits plan is available for licensed family child care providers in Manitoba.  Providers that choose to participate  must enroll within six months of becoming licensed and joining MCCA.   Providers that apply after the six month waiting period will be considered a late applicant and will have to provide evidence of medical insurability.

Here is the plan booklet for licensed family child care providers:  (no short term disability)

Forms can be mailed to MCCA, 2nd Floor, Royal Bank Building, 2350 McPhillips St. Winnipeg, Manitoba R2V 4J6 or fax to 204-586-8587 or email to info@mccahouse.org

To help you with your home based business, here is Government of Canada information for those providing child care in their home.