Pension e-news

January 21, 2016

Happy New Year

Welcome back, everyone. I trust by now you are fully in the swing of 2016 and looking forward to warmer days ahead.

At APS, the arrival of 2016 is a very exciting time, with the pending Go Live of the new Employer Portal at the end of May. On January 29, we will make our next Go/No Go decision. Stay tuned for the decision communication from us on this date.

Please note that we will be communicating key dates and announcements with you on a regular basis, and that there are a number of action items you will be responsible for.

April 30 is the cut-off for year-end reconciliation. It is crucial that we receive your reconciliation before this date.

We are excited to announce the launch of the updated Pension e-guide that corresponds with the new Employer Portal. As of January 25, you will be able to review the new details located on a tab within the existing Pension e-guide. See below for more details.

Finally, as we get closer to our May 30 Go Live date, we at APS are strongly committed to a smooth transition process. We are working hard to ensure your experience with our transformation is as straightforward as possible (even though we expect there to be a few bumps!).

Troy Diakow
Executive Director, APS Client Services

New Pension e-guide goes live January 25

Employers looking forward to the May 30 Go Live of the new Employer Portal will have the opportunity to view updates to the online manual on January 25, when the Employer Portal tab is added to the updated Pension e-guide.

This tab will provide 24/7 access to user-directed instruction for the new Employer Portal. Pension administrators will be able to view processes, workflows and knowledge-based articles prepared by subject matter experts, supported by a series of tutorials.

Training: In addition to the Employer Portal tab, we will have robust training for employers in the coming months. More details related to the training will be available in early February.
All of the current information currently housed in Pension e-guide will still be available and accessed in the same manner you are accustomed to.

Year-end closure is April 30

Many of you have already closed and reconciled 2015. Thank you!
For those who are still working on the year-end, APS is here to assist. Please contact your Employer Services representative if you have any questions. Contact information is listed at the bottom of this e-news.

Leave of Absence/Notice of Cost member support

Every year, after employers submit their 18-A Leave Without Salary Costing and 18-M Parenting Leave Costing reports, APS sends letters to those members who are eligible to buy back service. The Gap in Service letter is now accompanied by an insert to support members who have a leave reported in the 2014/2015 service year. The insert includes the most frequently asked questions about Notice of Cost. For your information, we have included a copy of the insert.

Employer training sessions

Dates and locations for employer training sessions are now available. This series covers process training - processes that are changed or updated as a result of Go Live or policy changes at APS. Reports and Member Artifacts will be discussed. Webinar training is an hour-long session of the material covered in the workshop.

Spring member one-on-one information sessions

The spring schedule for member one-on-one information sessions is now available. There are two ways members can register for a session:
Go online to mypensionplan.ca. Call the Member Services Centre to register for a session:
LAPP: 1-877-649-5277
MEPP: 1-877-889-6377
PSPP: 1-877-453-1777
SFPP: 1-877-809-7377 Sessions run from March through May and are scheduled for Edmonton, Calgary, Red Deer, Grande Prairie, Lethbridge and Medicine Hat. Sessions are also available year-round at the APS office location in Edmonton.
PLEASE NOTE: APS adheres to a scent-reduced work environment policy. We ask those who attend our sessions to limit their use of scented products for the safety and comfort of all participants.

Member webinars

Members who are looking for additional information regarding their pension plan can be directed to sign up for one or more pension sessions offered via webinar.

Contact your Employer Services representative

You can call us any time. We're here to help. The toll free number for Employer Services is 1-877-391-3756.
When you call, you will be prompted to enter a pension plan number and your employer number to ensure your call is routed to the correct Employer Services representative.
The pension plan numbers are:
Public Service Pension Plan - 1
Local Authorities Pension Plan - 2
Management Employees Pension Plan - 4
Special Forces Pension Plan - 6
You may also contact your Employer Services representative directly by logging on to Employer Online Services (EOS).