Your DGC Benefits Plan provides you and your family with valuable, affordable mental and physical health coverage and financial protection if you experience an illness, injury or disability. In this section, we explain how the plan works and what’s covered under each level.
If you’re unable to work due to a non-work-related/non-motor vehicle accident, illness or injury, the DGC Benefits Plan may offer you important financial protection.
To be eligible for STD benefits, you must have worked to earn Level II or III coverage and have had contributions made to the DGC Benefits Plan — by either a Guild collective agreement or a participation agreement — within the 12 months before the date of your disability.
At each annual re-enrolment, your eligibility and benefit coverage is determined based on your producer contributions for the past two years. You cannot upgrade your coverage level to qualify for STD, or to increase the amount of your benefit coverage.
Examples:
The following are not eligible:
To qualify for disability benefit payments, you must be deemed totally disabled by Canada Life (as defined below). You must also be participating in:
After a 14-calendar-day waiting period, the plan provides the following benefits for up to 26 weeks:
Level II
$320 per week
Level III
Minimum $320,
up to $1,400 per week
Weekly benefits paid to disabled plan members in Level III will be limited to 100% of the member’s pre-disability average weekly earnings, with a minimum of $320. All payments from the STD plan are taxable as regular income.
Pre-disability average weekly earnings
=
Earnings during the previous 24-month period ending June 30 of the year before your disability, averaged over the number of weeks in that period (i.e., 104 weeks).
Example:
If you were injured on January 1, 2025, your gross earnings from July 1, 2022 to June 30, 2024 would be used. (Same period used to calculate your default coverage level.)
Your gross earnings: $59,000
Benefit calculation: $59,000/104 weeks = $567.31 per week
Your gross earnings: $146,000 or more
Benefit calculation: $146,000/104 weeks = $1,403.85 per week
Therefore, you would receive the maximum of $1,400 per week
If you begin a claim late in the year and your disability period extends into the new benefits plan year, the same coverage level for disability will continue until your disability claim is closed, even if your benefits coverage level changes for the new plan year.
You will be considered disabled if:
If you have a disability claim, AGA and Canada Life will both help support you through the process. Here’s how it works.
During a period of disability, you are expected to make reasonable efforts to:
Failure to make such reasonable efforts may result in benefits being modified, delayed, withheld, or discontinued.
There are a number of examples below that outline the claims process if you experience either a recurring disability or a new disability after receiving benefits for an initial claim. The examples are based on:
Examples to consider
Medical information is always considered confidential and will not be shared with the DGC. Throughout the disability process, Canada Life will provide status updates regarding your limitations and your ability to return to work — without sharing the medical details.
Medical information is used only by Canada Life to ensure a comprehensive understanding of your condition. You are asked to provide written consent (using the Authorization Form) allowing Canada Life to begin the process of assessing your claim, contacting your physician and/or providing status updates to AGA Benefit Solutions as appropriate.
You have the right to appeal a denial of a claim with Canada Life. The declination letter will outline the necessary information that is required to review the appeal. It is recommended that you submit your appeal information to Canada Life as early as possible to ensure a timely decision. Contact AGA Benefit Solutions for help.
Disability benefits will be offset by:
If you do not receive a disability benefit reduction because it has not been awarded or received by you, Canada Life will have the right to estimate it according to the terms of any plans or legislation involved.
Disability benefits are also reduced by the earnings you receive from an approved rehabilitation plan.
Disability benefits will not be paid for any period before you are first treated by a legally licensed doctor of medicine, or for any period of employment, except in an approved rehabilitation plan or program.
Benefits will also not be paid if:
Disability payments will stop at the earliest of:
Keep in mind:
